Interview Times 
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has emerged as the top winner in the prestigious 5th National Water Awards 2023, with Uttar Pradesh securing second place, while Gujarat and Puducherry shared the third spot. The awards, announced by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, highlight exceptional efforts in water conservation and management across India, recognizing contributions in nine different categories.
The award ceremony is set to take place on October 22, with President Droupadi Murmu presiding over the event. Odisha’s impressive strides in water conservation were hailed as exemplary, positioning the state as a deserving recipient of this honour.
Odisha’s achievements include the construction of over 53,000 water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures, the renovation of 11,000 traditional water bodies, and the establishment of 21,000 wastewater treatment plants. These initiatives transformed over 90,900 hectares of land into micro-irrigation systems, benefiting approximately 87,000 farmers. Additionally, the plantation of 9 crore saplings has further contributed to the state’s environmental sustainability efforts.
Uttar Pradesh, ranked second, was recognized for its work under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which provided tap water connections to over 17,900 villages, benefiting 1.91 crore households. The state also constructed 133 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a combined capacity of 4,100 MLD to reduce pollution in the Ganga River. Moreover, Uttar Pradesh rejuvenated 14,679 ‘Amrit Sarovars’ to enhance rainwater harvesting.
Puducherry, which shared the third spot with Gujarat, was acknowledged for renovating 84 tanks, desilting 190 village ponds, and installing 850 rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. It also provided tap connections to 1,14,900 households in 2023.
Gujarat’s achievements include providing 100% tap water connections to 25 lakh households under the Jal Jeevan Mission and expanding micro-irrigation systems to benefit over 14 lakh farmers. The state also implemented innovative intra-basin water transfer projects.
Several districts were also honored for their outstanding contributions. The top-performing districts included Visakhapatnam (South zone), Dhalai (North East zone), Banda and Ganderbal (North zone, joint winners), Indore (West zone), and Balangir (East zone). Pullampara in Kerala earned recognition as the Best Village Panchayat.
In the urban category, Surat in Gujarat won the Best Urban Local Body award, with Puri in Odisha and Pune in Maharashtra taking second and third place, respectively.
The education sector saw Government Upper Primary School in Jethwan ka Bas, Rajasthan, take first place in the Best School or College category. Government Sarvodya Kanya Vidyalaya in New Delhi came second, while Khairbani Ashram School, Baisinga, Mayurbhanj, Odisha, secured third place. BHSS in Zainakote, Srinagar, received a special mention.
In the Best Industry category, Aravali Power Company Private Limited from Haryana took the top spot, followed by Apollo Tyres Limited in Tamil Nadu and Raymond Uco Denim Pvt Ltd in Maharashtra.
