Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches A National Level Mass Outreach Campaign “Watershed Yatra”

• Union Minister Shri Shivraj Chouhan emphasises the importance of soil and water conservation for the present & future needs of the people and community participation in the effective & successful implementation of WDC PMKSY Projects
• Shri Chouhan urges the people to participate in the yatra whole heartedly and ensure success of WDC-PMKSY

• Shri Chouhan announces ‘Watershed – Janbhagidari Pratiyogita’ under WDC-PMKSY 2.0 for the years 2025 & 2026

The Rural Development Ministry launched "Watershed Yatra," a national outreach

campaign to promote awareness about watershed development activities under WDCPMKSY 2.0. The launch event, led by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was conducted in hybrid mode with participation from about 800 Gram Panchayats and over 100,000 people.

During the launch, Chouhan announced the 'Watershed – Janbhagidari Pratiyogita'

competition for 2025-26, offering rewards of Rs. 20 lakh per project for excellent work. The initiative, based on Public-Private-People Partnership, has a total provision of Rs. 70.80 crore to benefit 177 projects annually.

The Watershed Yatra will run for 60-90 days across 805 projects, covering 6,673 Gram

Panchayats in 26 States and 2 UTs. The campaign includes expert talks, recognition of

8,000 contributors, and various community activities. To engage youth, the Department has developed a Learning Management System linked to the MY Bharat portal, offering

certificates for participation in Shramdaan activities. This initiative aims to strengthen

community participation and create a cadre of watershed workers and leaders.