Centre Launches 'Catch the Rain–2026' Campaign to Promote Rainwater Conservation Across India

The Central Government has launched the nationwide 'Catch the Rain–2026' campaign to promote rainwater conservation and groundwater recharge across the country. The month-long initiative, being conducted from July 4 to August 4, 2026, carries the message, "Save Every Raindrop – Secure Every Tomorrow," encouraging citizens to actively participate in water conservation. The government has urged households, apartments, offices and educational institutions to install rainwater harvesting systems, construct recharge pits and recharge shafts, and utilise abandoned borewells for groundwater replenishment.

The campaign also focuses on restoring traditional water bodies such as wells, ponds and lakes, desilting reservoirs to enhance water storage capacity, and expanding tree plantation drives. The Centre has called upon panchayats, urban local bodies, women's groups, youth, students and voluntary organisations to make water conservation a people's movement. It also stated that more than 15 million groundwater recharge structures have already been completed under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari 2.0 programme, exceeding the original target by over 50 percent.