CM Sai Backs 'Catch The Rain' Campaign After PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat Call
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai on 28 June 2026 amplified PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat call on rainwater harvesting, urging citizens to make the 'Catch The Rain' campaign a mass movement and treat water conservation as a collective responsibility for future generations.
Key Takeaways
CM Vishnu Deo Sai posted on 28 June 2026 backing the 'Catch The Rain' rainwater harvesting campaign.
PM Narendra Modi had emphasised saving 'every single drop of rain' during his Mann Ki Baat programme.
The 'Catch The Rain' campaign is a National Water Mission initiative under the Jal Shakti Ministry , activated each monsoon season.
CM Sai called water conservation a collective responsibility towards future generations, not just an environmental goal.
Chhattisgarh's rural and tribal communities are among those most dependent on seasonal rainfall and stand to benefit directly from stronger harvesting infrastructure.
The post urges citizens to make water conservation an innate daily practice — 'jeevan ka swabhavik sanskar' .
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday, 28 June 2026, called on citizens to transform the 'Catch The Rain' campaign into a mass people's movement, amplifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal on rainwater harvesting made during the latest edition of Mann Ki Baat.
Context
In his post, CM Sai quoted PM Modi's words from Mann Ki Baat: 'Baarish ki ek-ek boond ko hamein bachana hai. Catch The Rain abhiyan ko zara bhi dhila nahi hone dena hai' — ('We must save every single drop of rain. We must not let the Catch The Rain campaign slacken even slightly.')
The Chief Minister framed rainwater harvesting not merely as an environmental effort but as a collective responsibility towards the safety of future generations, urging citizens to make water conservation a natural part of everyday life.
Policy Backdrop
The 'Catch The Rain' campaign was launched by the National Water Mission under the Jal Shakti Ministry and has been a recurring annual initiative, typically activated ahead of and during the monsoon season. Its core objective is to create water conservation structures — check dams, rooftop harvesting systems, ponds, and recharge pits — before the rains arrive.
PM Modi has repeatedly used the Mann Ki Baat radio programme, which reaches tens of millions of listeners across India, to spotlight citizen-driven campaigns. Mentioning 'Catch The Rain' in this forum signals an intent to drive grassroots participation beyond government machinery.
Chhattisgarh, with its substantial tribal and rural population dependent on seasonal rainfall and local water bodies, has particular stakes in rainwater harvesting. The state's agricultural calendar is closely tied to monsoon patterns across regions such as Bastar, Surguja, and the Chhattisgarh plains.
Stakeholders and Impact
The campaign's success depends heavily on panchayati raj institutions, urban local bodies, self-help groups, and individual households acting in concert. CM Sai's appeal is directed at this broad base, asking every citizen to treat water conservation as a personal and social obligation — 'jal sanrakshan ko apne jeevan ka swabhavik sanskar banaen' ('make water conservation an innate value of your life').
For Chhattisgarh's farming communities, effective rainwater harvesting can reduce dependence on groundwater and buffer against erratic monsoon years, directly affecting crop yields and rural livelihoods.
What's Next
With the 2026 monsoon season underway, state governments are expected to mobilise district administrations to accelerate the creation and restoration of water harvesting structures. CM Sai's public endorsement signals that Chhattisgarh will push active implementation of the campaign at the ground level. If the momentum generated by Mann Ki Baat translates into measurable community action — more recharge pits dug, more rooftop systems installed — it could set a template for other BJP-governed states to follow ahead of peak monsoon months.
Point of View
And state CMs echoing it on social media extends the campaign's reach without additional budgetary commitment. For Chhattisgarh, where agricultural vulnerability to monsoon variability is acute, the framing of water conservation as a 'collective responsibility' rather than a government scheme is a deliberate attempt to shift ownership to citizens. Whether this translates into on-ground infrastructure action will be the real measure of the campaign's impact in the state.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Catch The Rain' campaign?
The 'Catch The Rain' campaign is a rainwater harvesting initiative launched by India's National Water Mission under the Jal Shakti Ministry, aimed at creating water conservation structures such as check dams, recharge pits, and rooftop harvesting systems before and during the monsoon season.
What did PM Modi say about 'Catch The Rain' in Mann Ki Baat?
PM Narendra Modi said in Mann Ki Baat that 'we must save every single drop of rain' and that the 'Catch The Rain' campaign must not be allowed to slacken, urging citizens to actively participate in rainwater harvesting.
Why did Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai post about water conservation?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai shared his support for the 'Catch The Rain' campaign on 28 June 2026, echoing PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat appeal and calling on Chhattisgarh citizens to treat water conservation as a collective social responsibility.
How does rainwater harvesting benefit Chhattisgarh?
Chhattisgarh has a large rural and tribal population dependent on seasonal rainfall for agriculture. Effective rainwater harvesting reduces reliance on groundwater, buffers against erratic monsoons, and can directly improve crop yields and rural livelihoods.
What is Mann Ki Baat?
Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that reaches tens of millions of listeners across India, used to spotlight citizen-driven campaigns and governance initiatives.
