NEW DELHI — The central government has significantly expanded its ‘Catch the Rain – Where it Falls, When it Falls’ initiative across urban India to tackle chronic water shortages that persist despite heavy seasonal monsoon rainfall. Managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the AMRUT 2.0 mission, the campaign now encompasses nearly 900 urban local bodies spanning 27 states and Union Territories. The initiative focuses on rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and the revival of urban water bodies to enhance long-term water security and strengthen urban climate resilience against extreme weather patterns.
Executed in strategic convergence with the Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Jan Bhagidari 2.0 framework, the campaign has successfully launched 1,99,278 groundwater recharge structures across 79 major municipal corporations. Additionally, another 73,036 recharge structures are currently being implemented across 738 smaller urban local bodies to capture seasonal precipitation and systematically replenish depleting underground aquifers. The ministry highlighted that participating municipalities are actively adopting customized, location-specific solutions through the specialized Shallow Aquifer Management Programme.
Various cities have already deployed distinct geological strategies tailored to their regional terrains. In Burdwan, West Bengal, and Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, engineers are using specialized recharge pits linked with injection borewells to channel surface rainwater directly into deeper underground aquifers. Conversely, Itanagar has focused on implementing widespread rooftop rainwater harvesting systems equipped with dedicated storage facilities to support immediate water conservation. Meanwhile, industrial hubs like Korba and Warangal successfully made their recharge structures operational well ahead of the monsoon arrival to maximize seasonal aquifer replenishment.
Complementing the subsurface recharge efforts, the Centre is actively reviving nearly 1.21 lakh acres of urban water bodies under the comprehensive Water Body Rejuvenation component of AMRUT 2.0. The restoration works include extensive desilting, the optimization of inlets and outlets, shoreline protection, eco-friendly landscaping, and biodiversity enhancement to simultaneously increase water storage and improve urban flood resilience. Furthermore, the ministry noted that more than 18,000 acres of parks and green spaces are being developed across various cities to serve a dual purpose: expanding public recreational areas while supporting natural groundwater percolation and mitigating urban heat stress.
