National Master Trainers’ Program on Water Budgeting for Gram Panchayats Begins

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is organizing the first National Level Training of Master Trainers on Water Budgeting and Water Security Planning by Gram Panchayats, a four-day residential program from 13th to 16th July 2026 in New Delhi. The program marks the beginning of a nationwide capacity-building initiative to develop a pool of Master Trainers at the State, District and Block levels.

These trainers will support Gram Panchayats in preparing technically sound, evidence-based and community-driven Water Security Plans. The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of Gram Panchayats to prepare Water Security Plans through water budgeting, advancing the vision of ‘Water Sufficient Gram Panchayats’. On this occasion, the Ministry also released the Water Sufficient Panchayats Training Manual (Phase 1 and Phase 2), a practical guide to help Gram Panchayats prepare participatory, scientifically informed and climate-responsive Water Security Plans.

Delivering the keynote address, Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, MoPR, highlighted water security as a critical pillar of sustainable rural development. He observed that Gram Panchayats and communities already possess deep, first-hand knowledge of their local water challenges and that the training is designed to convert this knowledge into structured action through water budgeting.

Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, MoPR, underscored the importance of integrating water conservation into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), noting that effective water management serves as a catalyst for holistic village development.(UPDATED ON 13TH JULY 2026)