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 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 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…
