LUCKNOW, July 4 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted watershed committees at gram panchayat level to strengthen water conservation and land management in rural areas. The committees will function under gram pradhans to ensure effective conservation, management, and development of local water resources. According to GS Naveen Kumar, the chief executive officer of the state-level nodal agency under the fallow land development department, said that chief minister Yogi Adityanath has prioritised water conservation promotion of natural water resources. Over the past eight years, the state government has constructed thousands of check dams, ponds, and reservoirs, implementing key initiatives such as 'Per Drop More Crop' and 'Catch the Rain' to make water available to every agriculture field, he added. The government has now rebranded watershed committees as 'Jalagam Samitis', a term rooted in local language and identity. This renaming aims to create a deeper connection between the initiative and rural communities, thereby enhancing public engagement and understanding of objectives, he said. Kumar said the committees led by gram pradhans will be responsible for preparing action plans reflecting local priorities. These committees will implement water conservation and land management schemes with active participation from panchayati raj institutions, inter-departmental coordination and community involvement, he said. Officers have been directed to make the necessary administrative updates to reflect the change, he added....