Jal Shakti Ministry, ISRO Sign Pact; Launch New Water Conservation, Research Initiatives
NEW DELHI: In a massive step toward reinforcing India’s climate resilience and water security, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday. The partnership aims to significantly strengthen the deployment of satellite technology and space-based applications for the country's water resource management.
The landmark agreement was formalized during a national workshop on research and development (R&D) in the water sector, organized by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre.
Alongside the strategic pact, the ministry introduced a fresh water research mission with substantial financial backings of up to ₹20 crore per project and officially set in motion the third phase of its massive flagship water conservation campaign.
Deepening Space-Tech Integration
Under the newly minted MoU, the Department of Water Resources and ISRO will closely collaborate across 24 core research segments. These include reservoir monitoring, water-spread assessment, river-flow analysis, satellite-based water quality assessment, and pioneering studies on macroplastic distribution across Indian water bodies.
ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary V Narayanan highlighted that the collaboration dates back to 1982, but this agreement marks an integrated, modernized leap forward.
"Space technology today offers unprecedented capacity for observing, assessing, forecasting and managing water resources," Narayanan stated. "The satellites are high in the sky and can be utilised for multiple purposes when we manage groundwater, water resources and floods. We are there with you and will provide whatever support is required."
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil reinforced that technology, innovation, traditional knowledge, and public participation must merge to tackle escalating water challenges, especially to meet the milestone vision of 'Vikit Bharat' by 2047. He noted that the ministry has supported 315 research studies in the past decade alone to build practical solutions.
Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Phase 3 Kickoff
Minister Patil launched the third phase of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) campaign, locking in an ambitious target to construct two crore water conservation structures across India between June 2026 and May 2027.
To ensure accountability, transparency, and data tracking, the ministry introduced the ‘JSJB-Catch the Rain (JSJB:CTR) Portal’. This nationwide digital platform allows district administrations to document and verify conservation structures built through public-private partnerships involving citizens, non-profits, industries, and government bodies.
The campaign has already showcased stellar growth:
Phase 1: Exceeded its target of 10 lakh structures to finish at 27.5 lakh structures.
Phase 2 (Launched June 2025): Surpassed its 1-crore target, delivering over 1.5 crore structures.
Launch of MAHA-Water and Support for Start-Ups
The national workshop also hosted the rollout of the Mission for Advancement in High Impact Areas (MAHA)-Water programme, a joint undertaking by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
Aimed at bridging laboratory research and real-world deployment, the MAHA-Water programme will fund multi-institutional consortium projects—including universities, national labs, start-ups, and industries—with grants maxing out at ₹20 crore per project.
"This programme is designed for impact," said ANRF CEO Shivkumar Kalyanaraman. "We do not want technologies to remain at an early stage. We want to accelerate them towards deployment and measurable outcomes."
Additionally, the ministry has realigned its R&D frameworks to empower micro-innovators via the Bharat Water Innovation Network (Bharat WIN) platform. Department of Water Resources Secretary V L Kantha Rao announced that the revised guidelines now permit direct funding of up to ₹2 crore specifically for start-ups and MSMEs.
Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh praised the initiative as a perfect model of the government’s "whole-of-government" and "whole-of-nation" philosophy. Reflecting on India's booming space sector—now valued at nearly USD 9 billion and poised to multiply five to six times in the near future—Singh declared, "The age of silos is over. If we have to achieve the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047, it is not possible unless we move forward together."