Under the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, Development Alternatives (DA), through its Technical Support Unit (TSU), has been actively supporting the District Administration of Niwari in strengthening water resilience and promoting sustainable, community-led water management practices across Bundelkhand. The initiative focuses on improving long-term water security through the restoration of traditional water bodies, source sustainability measures, and integrated district-level planning.

As part of the programme, the TSU team presented the progress of ongoing field interventions during the District Level TL Meeting chaired by the District Magistrate of Niwari. Development Alternatives highlighted key initiatives related to water conservation, community participation, and sustainable rural development, while also presenting the district’s water status and strategies for transforming Niwari into a water-surplus district through integrated water resource management approaches.

The campaign created significant impact across multiple villages in the district. More than 4,150 households gained improved access to safe drinking water through strengthened operation and maintenance of Jal Jeevan Mission infrastructure. In Churara village, pond de-siltation and restoration activities generated an additional 22.3 million litres of water storage capacity. Of this, nearly 17 million litres were created through large-scale shramdaan involving more than 526 villagers, while 5.3 million litres were achieved through convergence with the Rural Engineering Services Department.

The initiative also supported the revival of nearly 500 metres of stretches along the Naina and Satar rivers, renovation of seven Chandela-era ponds, and restoration of fourteen traditional water bodies. These interventions directly benefited more than 313 households and improved irrigation support across nearly 67 hectares of farmland, contributing to sustainable agriculture and strengthened rural livelihoods.

The initiative demonstrated how community-led action, supported by technical guidance and district-level convergence, can create scalable and sustainable solutions for strengthening rural water security in Bundelkhand.