MoHUA Brings Together 75 Cities for Groundwater Revival Under “Catch the Rain”

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in partnership with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), pulled together representatives from 75 cities for a day‑long national dialogue on the Shallow Aquifer Management (SAM) programme. It was part of the broader “Catch the Rain” campaign that aims to make Indian cities more water‑secure and climate‑resilient.

Held under the banner of the AMRUT mission, the meeting gave each Urban Local Body a chance to put its progress on the table – the good, the messy, and everything in between. Cities talked about recharge shafts they’d sunk, check‑dams they’d built, and even quirky modular pits that look like giant Lego blocks.

“We’re learning a lot from each other,” said D Thara, Additional Secretary at MoHUA, who chaired the session. Isha Kalia, Joint Secretary, kept the conversation flowing, nudging participants to dig deeper into what’s working and where the potholes are.

Numbers and anecdotes rolled out in equal measure. Korba, for instance, announced it would revive 95 defunct borewells after seeing a rise in the water table thanks to its recent interventions. Vizianagaram pointed to a modest but steady climb in groundwater levels, while Nagpur pledged to add another 100 recharge structures before the monsoon ends.

Bhubaneswar was quick to highlight a win‑win: their SAM projects not only pumped water back into the aquifer but also helped curb urban flooding by letting stormwater seep away rather than pool on the streets.

Experts made it clear that technology alone won’t carry the load. Community participation, they warned, is the real glue that holds these initiatives together. When residents understand why a gabion wall matters, they’re more likely to protect it from encroachment.

In the end, the gathering underscored MoHUA’s resolve to keep pushing scientific, nature‑based, and locally‑owned solutions. The message was simple – every raindrop counts, and together these 75 cities can turn a handful of drops into a sustainable water future.