Telangana Village Earns PM Modi Praise for Overcoming Water Crisis

New Delhi, March 30, 2026: In an era where climate change and falling water tables dominate global headlines, a small village in Telangana has shown the world that the solutions to massive environmental crises can often be found right at home.

Mudhigunta, a village nestled in the Jaipur mandal of the Mancherial district, has become a national beacon of hope. The community’s relentless, self-driven efforts to combat a severe water crisis earned them high praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 132nd episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat.

A Mass Movement Ignited by Necessity

Mudhigunta’s journey from a drought-stressed locality to a water-surplus model did not happen overnight. For years, the village battled depleting groundwater levels, making both agriculture and daily survival a grueling challenge.

Instead of waiting for external aid or complex engineering projects, the residents took matters into their own hands. As Prime Minister Modi highlighted in his address, the initiative quickly transformed into a true mass movement.

“In Mudhigunta village in Telangana’s Mancherial district, people have come together to address the water problem,” the Prime Minister noted. “400 families made soak pits at their homes and created a mass movement for water conservation.”

Driven by a shared resolve, all 400 families in the village—who also hold job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)—passed a collective resolution. They committed to building individual soak pits for every single household.

The Ripple Effect: Health and Ecological Recovery

The results of Mudhigunta’s collective action have been staggering. By capturing rainwater and household runoff and directing it back into the earth via soak pits, the village effectively recharged its local aquifer.

According to groundwater data, the water table in the area has seen a sustained and significant recovery. Pre-monsoon water levels that once sat precariously low have climbed noticeably higher, showing reduced seasonal fluctuations and signaling a highly stable groundwater table.

Beyond simply having enough water to drink and farm, the village has reaped a massive public health reward. Stagnant wastewater used to pool in open drains, leading to the breeding of mosquitoes and the spread of waterborne illnesses. By channeling this water into scientifically constructed soak pits, the villagers have largely eliminated these breeding grounds. PM Modi specifically acknowledged this vital byproduct of their hard work, stating that the initiative had “significantly reduced diseases caused by polluted water.”

Building a Holistic Eco-Village

While the soak pits served as the catalyst, Mudhigunta’s green revolution did not stop there. To complement the individual household soak pits, the village implemented a comprehensive conservation strategy:

• Institutional Harvesting: Seven large community soak pits and rooftop rainwater harvesting systems were installed across government offices and local schools.
• Green Cover Expansion: In a bid to enhance the moisture-retention capacity of the soil, the villagers resolved to plant at least six saplings per household every year, alongside dedicated avenue plantation drives.
• Wider District Efforts: Mancherial District Collector Kumar Deepak noted that despite being a mining-heavy region, active public participation has allowed the wider district to implement farm ponds, percolation tanks, and check dams to secure its future.

A Timely Inspiration for the Nation

The Prime Minister’s spotlight on Mudhigunta arrives at a critical time. As the summer heat begins to sweep across the Indian subcontinent, water conservation becomes an immediate priority.

During the broadcast, PM Modi noted that campaigns like the Jal Sanchay Abhiyan have resulted in the creation of nearly 5 million artificial water harvesting structures over the last 11 years, alongside 70,000 Amrit Sarovars (water bodies).

Mudhigunta stands as living proof that large-scale national campaigns succeed best when met with enthusiastic, grassroots execution. The men and women of this small Telangana village have proven that when a community unites, it possesses the power to rewrite its own destiny.