The response of the people of Gujarat to the state government's efforts to involve people to build their own check dams produced several exciting experiences. The government used methods adopted by civil society groups to mobilise people. In January 2000, after the failure of the 1999 monsoon, the state government launched a programme to build 2,500 check dams within a span of four months wherein the state government would fund 60 per cent of the cost, and the people would chip in the rest 40 per cent. The unprecedented response resulted in the construction of about 10,500 check dams within a few months (see