The Bihar government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is undertaking robust measures to preserve groundwater levels. The Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign, spearheaded by the Panchayati Raj Department, has begun to yield positive outcomes through the renovation of existing wells and the construction of soak pits. This village-level water conservation drive is not only showcasing a commitment to environmental protection but is also laying the groundwork for mitigating potential water crises in the future.
The state set a target of renovating 25,466 wells, and to date, work on 25,254 wells has been finalized. This achievement represents an exceptional success rate of over 99 percent. The rehabilitation of these wells has led to an enhanced availability of water for irrigation purposes in rural areas. Significant progress has also been made in soak pit construction. The government aimed to build 19,542 soak pits near the wells, with 18,895 already completed. Nalanda district spearheaded the effort, successfully constructing all 1,939 planned soak pits.
Several districts have surpassed their set targets, indicating growing public participation in water conservation efforts. According to Panchayati Raj Department officials, villages are demonstrating unprecedented awareness regarding water conservation. The government’s objective is to establish robust water conservation systems in every panchayat, ensuring that future water shortages are avoided.
District-wise figures for soak pit construction are: Araria-54, Arwal-335, Aurangabad-626, Banka-637, Begusarai-723, Bhagalpur-976, Bhojpur-640, Buxar-535, Darbhanga-513, Gaya-270, Gopalganj-800, Jamui-724, Jehanabad-606, Kaimur-401, Katihar-112, Khagaria-133, Kishanganj-41, Lakhisarai-188, Madhepura-127, Madhubani-95, Munger-811, Muzaffarpur-390, Nalanda-1939, Nawada-731, West Champaran-638, Patna-586, East Champaran-1707, Purnia-107, Rohtas-274, Saharsa-235, Samastipur-997, Saran-69, Sheikhpura-247, Sheohar-174, Sitamarhi-489, Siwan-631, Supaul-52, Vaishali-282.