Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday graced the Watershed Mahotsav at the City Convention Centre in Imphal. The event was organised by the State Level Nodal Agency for Watershed Management under the Planning Department, Government of Manipur. It highlighted the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana 2.0 (WDC PMKSY 2.0), a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development focusing on the development of rainfed and degraded lands across the country. Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel also attended the occasion.
During the event, Deputy Commissioners of Kakching and Ukhrul presented achievements and future plans, while field staff from Imphal West and Senapati shared their implementation experiences. The Governor, along with the Chief Secretary, felicitated the best-performing districts and Watershed Committees with certificates, released a handbook on PMKSY WDC Manipur, and conducted a virtual Bhoomi Pujan and Lokarpan of PMKSY WDC 2.0 projects.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor said the Watershed Development campaign is a nationwide initiative to promote community participation in water and soil conservation, with an emphasis on long-term sustainability. He highlighted that simple local measures such as rainwater conservation, groundwater recharge, and the use of stored water during lean periods can improve agricultural productivity, livelihoods, and environmental resilience. He stressed that watershed development requires community ownership beyond government programmes.
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The Governor further noted that under PMKSY WDC 2.0, community assets such as farm ponds and water harvesting structures have been created across the state. He emphasised that these shared resources must be maintained by the people, with coverage to be progressively expanded to benefit more villages.
He stressed the need for convergence among departments, district administrations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, community organisations, farmers, self-help groups, and youth, calling for coordinated efforts to integrate watershed priorities with other flagship schemes.
The Governor underscored that collective responsibility and community ownership are essential to transform watershed development into a people’s movement for a water-secure and climate-resilient Manipur. The event was attended by administrative secretaries, deputy commissioners, senior officials, members of watershed committees, and community stakeholders involved in local implementation and maintenance.
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