The 6th National Water Awards (NWA) 2024 were announced by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C.R. Paatil on November 11, 2025, at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi. The prestigious awards, instituted by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, recognize exceptional contributions toward water conservation, management, and sustainable practices.
The award ceremony will be held on November 18, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will confer the awards to 46 winners across 10 categories, including Best State, District, Village Panchayat, Urban Local Body, Institution, Industry, and more.
About the National Water Awards
Launched in 2018, the National Water Awards aim to encourage individuals, organizations, and institutions to adopt innovative and effective water management practices and contribute to building a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ (Water Prosperous India).
The 6th edition (2024) saw 751 applications submitted via the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Following evaluation and field verification by Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), 46 winners, including joint winners, were selected.
Key Highlights
- Total Winners: 46 (including joint winners)
- Categories: 10
- Best State: Maharashtra
- Award Ceremony: November 18, 2025
- Chief Guest: Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu
- Venue: Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
- Organized by: Ministry of Jal Shakti (DoWR, RD & GR)
List of Winners – 6th National Water Awards 2024
1. Best State
| Rank | Winner | State |
| 1 | Maharashtra | Maharashtra |
| 2 | Gujarat | Gujarat |
| 3 | Haryana | Haryana |
2. Best District
| Zone | District | State | Rank |
| East Zone | Rajnandgaon | Chhattisgarh | 1st |
| West Zone | Khargone | Madhya Pradesh | 1st |
| South Zone | Tirunelveli | Tamil nadu | 1st |
| North Zone | Mirzapur | Uttar Pradesh | 1st |
| North East Zone | Sepahijala | Tripura | 1st |
3. Best Urban Local Body (ULB)
| Rank | Urban Local Body | State |
| 1st | Navi Mumbai | Maharashtra |
| 2nd | Bhavanagar | Gujarat |
| 3rd (Joint) | Nabadiganta Industrial Township | West Bengal |
| 3rd (Joint) | Agra | Uttar Pradesh |
4. Best Institution (Other than School/College)
Inside Campus Catgory
| Rank | Institution | State |
| 1st (Joint) | Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar | Gujarat |
| 1st (Joint) | ICAR–Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute | Goa |
| 2nd (Joint) | Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani | Rajsthan |
| 2nd (Joint) | Islamic University of Science & Technology, Awantipora | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Special Mention | Assam Rifles | Manipur |
Outside Campus Category
| Rank | Institution | State |
| 1st (Joint) | Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar | Haryana |
| 1st (Joint) | Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Berhampur Circle | Odisha |
5. Best Water User Association (WUA)
| Rank | Association | State |
| 1st | Vettaikaranpudur Canal Odayakulam Village WUA, Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu |
| 2nd | Kanifnath WUA, Nashik | Maharashtra |
| 3rd | Kharlan WUA, Sri Ganganagar | Rajasthan |
6. Best Civil Society
| Rank | Organizations | State |
| 1st | Banaskantha District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd. | Gujarat |
| 2nd | Ambuja Foundation | Rajasthan |
| 3rd | Art of Living | Karnataka |
7. Best Village Panchayat
| Rank | Village Panchayat | District/State |
| 1st (Joint) | Dubbiganipalli | Annamayya, Andhra Pradesh |
| 1st (Joint) | Payam | Kannur, Kerala |
| 2nd (Joint) | Kaweshwar | Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh |
| 2nd (Joint) | Murugummi | Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh |
| 3rd (Joint) | Balapuram | Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu |
| 3rd (Joint) | Dumarpani | Kanker, Chhattisgarh |
8. Best School or College
| Rank | Institution | State |
| 1st (Joint) | Krishna Public School, Raipur | Chhattisgarh |
| 1st (Joint) | Army Public School, Kolkata | West Bengal |
| 2nd BHSS, | Zainakote, Srinagar | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 3rd (Joint) | Malusanta Govt. Nodal Higher Secondary School, Damanjodi, Koraput | Odisha |
| 3rd (Joint) | Jharkhand Balika Aawasiya Vidyalaya (JBAV), Rahe, Ranchi | Jharkhand |
| Special Mention | Mount Abu Public School, Rohini | Delhi |
| Special Mention | Maharaja Agarsain Public School, Ashok Vihar | Delhi |
| Special Mention | Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Model School, Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala |
9. Best Industry
| Rank | Industry | State |
| 1st | Apollo Tyres Ltd., Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu |
| 2nd | Hero MotoCorp Ltd., Gurugram | Haryana |
| 3rd | Jhajjar Power Ltd., Jhajjar | Haryana |
10. Best Individual for Excellence in Water Sector
| Zone | Name/State | Rank |
| East Zone | Shri Kishore Jaiswal/Bihar | 1st |
| West Zone | Shri Bajrang Lal Jaithu/Rajasthan | 1st |
| North Zone | Shri Mohan Chandra Kandpal/Uttarakhand | 1st |
| South Zone | Shri Podili Rajasekhara Raju/Andhra Pradesh | 1st |
Significance of the Awards
The National Water Awards not only recognize excellence in water management but also strengthen partnerships between government bodies, civil society, and communities.
They serve as a platform for sharing best practices and innovative approaches in sustainable water resource management, in alignment with India’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation).
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