CM Fadnavis backs 'Catch the Rain' drive, cites Nashik
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis endorsed PM Modi's 'Catch the Rain' campaign on 26 July 2026, holding up Nashik district as proof that community rainwater harvesting can scale statewide. He urged every village and town in Maharashtra to join the water conservation movement.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly backed the Centre's Catch the Rain campaign on 26 July 2026 via a bilingual Marathi-Hindi post on X.
Nashik district was cited as a model for large-scale, community-built water storage capacity in Maharashtra.
The campaign was amplified by PM Narendra Modi through the Mann Ki Baat radio programme, which Fadnavis referenced directly.
Catch the Rain was launched in 2021 under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan , India's national water conservation mission started in 2019 .
The CM called on citizens to extend the water conservation movement to every village, town, and neighbourhood across Maharashtra .
Farmers, rural communities, and urban local bodies are the primary stakeholders in the state's rainwater harvesting push.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, 26 July 2026, amplified Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for rainwater conservation, highlighting Nashik district as a model of community-led water harvesting spurred by the 'Catch the Rain' campaign promoted through Mann Ki Baat.
Context
Posting in both Marathi and Hindi, CM Fadnavis noted that PM Modi's appeal on Mann Ki Baat — urging citizens to 'save every drop of rain' — had received enthusiastic public support across the country. He specifically cited Nashik district in Maharashtra as an inspiring example of mass-scale water storage capacity built through people's participation. In his words: 'Let us all become an active part of this people's movement and promote water conservation by taking it to every village, town, and neighbourhood of the state.'
The post references the Mann Ki Baat episode dated 26 July 2026 and tags PM Modi's official handle alongside the #MannKiBaat and #Maharashtra hashtags, signalling coordinated outreach between the Centre and the state government.
Policy Backdrop
The 'Catch the Rain' campaign was launched by the Central government in 2021 to encourage households, institutions, and local bodies to create rainwater harvesting structures before and during the monsoon season. It operates under the broader Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a national water conservation mission that began in 2019 to accelerate harvesting and groundwater recharge across states.
Maharashtra has a long history of community watershed management, with state-level programmes dating to the 1990s that predate the national frameworks. These efforts now align with the Jal Jeevan Mission, which targets water security at the household level through public participation. The convergence of central and state schemes has made districts like Nashik focal points for demonstrating scalable, community-driven outcomes.
Stakeholders and Impact
Farmers and rural communities in water-stressed regions of Maharashtra stand to benefit most directly from expanded rainwater harvesting infrastructure. Nashik district, situated in northern Maharashtra, faces periodic drought stress despite being home to major river systems, making large-scale water storage a critical seasonal priority.
Urban local bodies are also stakeholders in the campaign, as the CM's call explicitly extends to 'every village, town, and neighbourhood.' Sustained community involvement during the monsoon window is considered essential for meeting annual water storage targets under centrally sponsored frameworks.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to whether other Maharashtra districts replicate the Nashik model during the remainder of the 2026 monsoon season. Any follow-up mention in future Mann Ki Baat episodes, or a state-level review of water conservation outcomes, could indicate how seriously the government intends to scale the initiative.
With groundwater depletion remaining a structural challenge across the Deccan plateau, CM Fadnavis's public endorsement signals that water conservation will remain a visible governance priority for the Maharashtra government heading into the post-monsoon agricultural cycle.
Point of View
The CM converts a national campaign into a local success story, giving the initiative both credibility and a replicable template. The move also keeps Maharashtra visible within the BJP's broader narrative of 'Jal Shakti' as a development deliverable. Whether the Nashik model translates into measurable district-level outcomes will determine if this remains political optics or evolves into durable water policy.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Catch the Rain' campaign in India?
'Catch the Rain' is a Central government campaign launched in 2021 to promote rainwater harvesting and water conservation across India, encouraging citizens, institutions, and local bodies to build water storage structures before and during the monsoon. It operates under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan national mission.
Why did CM Fadnavis mention Nashik district for water conservation?
CM Devendra Fadnavis cited Nashik district as an inspiring example of large-scale, community-built rainwater harvesting capacity that emerged from public participation in the 'Catch the Rain' campaign. He held it up as a model for other districts to follow.
What did PM Modi say about water conservation on Mann Ki Baat?
PM Narendra Modi used the Mann Ki Baat programme to appeal to citizens to save every drop of rain through the 'Catch the Rain' campaign. CM Fadnavis stated that this call received enthusiastic support from people across the country.
What is the Jal Shakti Abhiyan?
Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a national water conservation mission launched by the Central government in 2019 to accelerate rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and water management across Indian states. The 'Catch the Rain' campaign is one of its key public-participation components.
How is Maharashtra involved in India's water conservation efforts?
Maharashtra has integrated Central water schemes like Catch the Rain and Jal Shakti Abhiyan with its own state-level watershed programmes, which date back to the 1990s. CM Fadnavis has called on every village and town in the state to participate in the ongoing water conservation movement.
