VIJAYAWADA: The Jal Shakti Hackathon – 2025 aims to find innovative, technology-driven solutions for water management and conservation, said Dr YRS Rao, Director of the National Institute of Hydrology.
Speaking at a regional awareness program organized at VR Siddhartha Engineering College Auditorium, he explained that the initiative is being conducted under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Rejuvenation.
Rao urged students and citizens to identify local water-related problems and upload possible solutions in ten lines on the ministry’s portal bharatwin.mowr.gov.in. He emphasized that water is not just a subject for scientists but a matter that concerns everyone—from farmers to intellectuals.
Highlighting post-COVID challenges such as changes in water quality, pharmaceutical waste, and microplastic pollution, he called for greater awareness.
He encouraged students to share ideas without hesitation, noting that selected proposals will receive financial support ranging from `1 lakh to `1 crore. The hackathon will continue for the next five years.
Prakhar Jain, CEO of Real Time Governance Society (RTGS), said that while India’s resources and budgets are limited compared to developed nations, technology can bridge the gap. He stressed that student projects should go beyond academic requirements and address real societal issues.
Using data on groundwater, rainfall, and reservoirs, scientific decisions can be made to tackle floods, forest conservation, crowd management at Vijayawada’s Kanakadurga temple, and human-animal conflicts in districts like Srikakulam and Chittoor.