Patna: Bihar has significantly expanded its water conservation efforts over the past five years, constructing more than 64,000 new water sources as part of the state government’s flagship Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign. Launched on October 2, 2019, the initiative—spearheaded by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar—aims to mitigate the effects of climate change, recharge groundwater and promote environmental sustainability.
According to official figures, 64,098 new water sources have been built across the state since the launch of the campaign. The lion’s share of this work was carried out by the Rural Development Department, which constructed 55,642 sources. The Agriculture Department added another 5,607, while the Animal and Fisheries Resources Department contributed 2,827.
The campaign has also focused on reviving traditional and existing water bodies. Between 2019 and 2025, 24,448 public ponds were restored, and 72,868 historical structures such as ahars and paeens—traditional irrigation systems—were renovated and brought back into use. These efforts have been instrumental in halting the decline in the groundwater level, which had been falling steadily across large parts of the state.
In tandem with water conservation, the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali programme integrates broader environmental interventions such as afforestation, rainwater harvesting and climate awareness campaigns. Officials say these combined actions are helping to restore fragile ecosystems while providing more sustainable irrigation options for farmers.
The initiative is being seen as a model for climate resilience in one of India’s most vulnerable states, where shifting rainfall patterns and depleting groundwater have threatened both livelihoods and food security.
