Mission Paani Wins the Prestigious National Water Awards 2020 : Rashtra News
Network18 Group’s Mission Paani initiative, aimed towards saving water and sustaining it for generations to come, has won the prestigious National Water Award, 2020 announced by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The initiative aims to change the approach and behavior to improve water use efficiency in India and is the first prize winner in the Best Media (Print & Electronic) category of the National Water Awards 2020.
Mission Paani
The National Water Awards (NWA) were instituted to recognize and encourage exemplary efforts made by states, districts, individuals, organizations, etc across the country in attaining the government’s vision of a Jal Samridh Bharat.
“The society can never forget the contribution of organizations which transform crucial and complex issues like this into public movements. Water is fundamental to life. India’s current water requirement is estimated to be around 1,100 billion cubic meters per year, projected to go up to 1,447 billion cubic meters by 2050. Water as a resource is crucial to India, which is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Because surface water & groundwater are an integral part of the water cycle, it was felt necessary to institute a unified National Water Award with the objectives of encouraging the stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach towards water resources management in the country,” said, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Jal Shakti, while speaking at the awards announcement ceremony.
Mission Paani initiative was launched in association with Harpic India to create an ecosystem that will help India save millions of liters of water so that no home in India has to compromise on health and hygiene due to inadequate availability of water. This path-breaking effort is also mobilizing a large public movement to promote water conservation and hygiene. The initiative has successfully been able to merge isolated efforts into a cause that every Indian could join and contribute to. Several prominent public figures came forward to support the initiative. Akshay Kumar was the Campaign Ambassador for Mission Paani. The Sanitation Pledge was written by renowned lyricist Kausar Munir which is endorsed by Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission. Besides, other prominent women leaders like Savita Punia (Indian Hockey Player), Smriti Mandhana (Indian Cricketer), Bhavina Patel (Indian par athlete and table tennis player), and Lovlina Borgohain (Indian Boxer, Olympian) supported the campaign at the Mission Paani Sanitation Forum on World Toilet Day.
It is noteworthy that Network18 also launched India’s first-ever preamble for inclusive sanitation on the occasion of World Toilet Day last year. It was a step towards collectively promoting an inclusive ecosystem and coming together for a cleaner and healthier world. Aligned to Swachh Bharat Mission and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, it is committed to raising awareness and mobilizing action that ensures no one is left behind.
