National Water Awards
- Context: Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti announced the 7th National Water Awards through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
About the National Water Awards
- The National Water Awards were first introduced in 2018.
- The awards seek to create public awareness about the importance of water conservation and inspire people to adopt efficient and sustainable water management practices.
- They are presented by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Objective
- The primary objective of these awards is to promote a comprehensive approach to water resource management by encouraging the conservation and sustainable use of both surface water and groundwater, which are essential components of the hydrological cycle.
Eligibility
- The awards are open to: States, Districts, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs),Dam-owning agencies, Industries.
- Applicants must have demonstrated outstanding efforts in the fields of water conservation, efficient water use, and water resource management.
Award Recognition
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- Recipients of the National Water Awards are honoured with:
- A Trophy
- A Citation recognizing their achievements.
Award Categories
- The 7th National Water Awards include the following major categories:
- Best State
- Best District
- Best Urban Local Body
- Best Implemented Project in the Water Sector
- Best Industry for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the water sector.
ICMR-MINDS Wins National Award for e-Governance 2026
- Background: ‘ICMR-MINDS’—an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven digital mental health platform—received the Gold Award at the National Awards for e-Governance 2026 from the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) for promoting citizen-centric digital health services.
About NAeG (National Awards for e-Governance) 2026
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- NAeG 2026 is a recognition scheme established by the Government of India to acknowledge outstanding initiatives in the fields of e-Governance and digital governance.
- e-Governance refers to the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by the government to deliver services and enhance transparency, efficiency, and citizen participation.
- Organizer: Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG)
- Objective: Recognizing innovative digital governance initiatives in India
- Focus: Citizen-centric service delivery using technology
- Encourages the use of AI, mobile apps, and digital platforms in governance
- Key Benefit: This platform assists frontline health workers in screening, diagnosing, managing, and monitoring mental health issues using digital tools.
Objective of ICMR-MINDS
- Supports the early screening, diagnosis, and management of mental health disorders using digital tools.
- Strengthens citizen-centric healthcare service delivery.
- Integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) into public health services.
- Supports India’s focus on digital health and mental well-being.
