The Ministry of Jal Shakti will hold a National Workshop on R&D in Water, launching the MAHA mission, a startup portal, and a community platform. It aims to boost innovation and sustainable water management through government-academia collaboration.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is set to organise the National Workshop on R&D in Water on Monday at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in the national capital, said an official release.
The one-day workshop will be attended and jointly inaugrated by Union Jal Shakti Minister; Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti; and V Narayanan, Secretary, Department of Space & Chairman, ISRO, Secretary, DST; Secretary, DoDWS; Secretary, DoWR, RD&GR; and Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Water Mission, along with other senior officials.
The gathering of Government, Industry and Academia marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s water research ecosystem and accelerating innovation-driven solutions for sustainable water management, while fostering stronger convergence among scientific institutions, policymakers, academia, startups, technical organisations, and community stakeholders.
Key Launches and Initiatives
A major highlight of the event will be the launch of MAHA on Water (Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas for Water), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and ANRF to promote cutting-edge research in priority areas such as water resources management, drinking water, climate resilience and water-use efficiency. An open call for research proposals under the initiative will also be announced.
The Ministry will further launch an open call for Startups and MSMEs under the BHARAT-WIN Portal to support product and prototype development in the water sector.
The workshop will also witness the launch of Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch the Rain (JSJB: CTR), a participatory digital platform designed to strengthen community-led water conservation efforts by enabling citizens, institutions and local bodies to document and showcase water conservation, rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge initiatives. Reinforcing the vision of “Whole of Government and Whole of Society,” the platform will promote Jan Bhagidari, behavioural change, local participation and grassroots innovations as key drivers of long-term water security and climate resilience.
Collaboration with ISRO
The Ministry of Jal Shakti and ISRO are expected to sign a MoU to strengthen satellite-based applications and advanced technologies for water resource assessment, monitoring and management, with 24 priority studies and areas of cooperation already identified.
Workshop Agenda and Technical Sessions
The workshop will feature multiple technical sessions covering key themes such as groundwater management, irrigation practices, river morphology, floodplain inundation mapping, climate resilience, ecological assessments, dam and hydraulic structure safety, urban aquifer mapping and the application of remote sensing and advanced technologies in water governance. End-user beneficiaries and PIs will share successful practices, key learnings and tangible outcomes from research interventions. Deliberations will also assess the impact of water-sector research undertaken over the past 12 years and discuss strategic priorities and the way forward for the 16th Finance Commission cycle.
Technology and Innovation Exhibition
An exhibition showcasing innovative technologies, research outcomes and best practices in the water sector will be organised alongside the workshop. The exhibition will provide a platform for research institutions, startups, MSMEs and technical organisations to demonstrate cutting-edge solutions for sustainable and technology-enabled water management.
The workshop is expected to provide strategic direction for research-led policymaking, innovation ecosystems and community participation, further strengthening India’s efforts towards long-term water security and sustainable water management. (ANI)
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