UPSC Mains 2020 GS3 Q8 — Water conservation
What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What are
- Scope keywords
- salient featuresJal Shakti AbhiyanGovernment of Indiawater conservationwater security
- Implicit sub-parts
- The mission's focus on water-stressed districts and blocks (spatial targeting).
- Key intervention areas such as rainwater harvesting, renovation of water bodies, and afforestation.
- The role of public participation (Jan Andolan) and inter-ministerial coordination.
- Transition from asset creation to behavioral change and sustainable groundwater management.
- Common pitfalls
- Treating it as a general essay on water crisis instead of listing the specific mission components.
- Failing to mention that it is a time-bound, mission-mode campaign rather than a permanent department.
- Omitting the 'Catch the Rain' component which was the major theme of the subsequent phases.
- Forgetting to mention the specific focus on 'Water Stressed Blocks' (256 districts originally).
- Dimensions required
- Administrative/InstitutionalTechnical/InfrastructureSocial/ParticipatoryEnvironmental/Ecological
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 25 words for a crisp definition and context of the launch. Dedicate 100 words to a structured list of 5-6 salient features (interventions, spatial focus, and jan andolan). Use the final 25 words to conclude with its impact on achieving SDG 6.
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