The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of JalShakti has been working relentlessly towards achieving the vision and mission of making India a ‘Water Secure Country’ as envisioned by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The Ministry of Jal Shakti, formed in 2019 by bringing together all water related departments and organizations under one umbrella Ministry, has been playing a pivotal role in implementation of a focused strategy towards making India ‘Water Secure’ while ensuring optimal utilization of precious and scarce water resources across the nation. During the year2024, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has undertaken several new initiatives and achieved significant outcomes/milestones. Following is some of the key achievements of the Department in 2024:

1.  ​National Mission forClean Ganga (NMCG)

National Mission for Clean Ganga, in the year 2024, completed 25 projects which resulted in the completion of a cumulative total of 303 projects, sofar, and also sanctioned 39 new projects amounting to ₹ 2,056 crore, bringing the cumulative total to 488 projects sanctioned worth ₹ 39,730 crore. In sewerage infrastructure, 12 projects for the creation/ rehabilitation of 305 MLD sewage treatment capacity have been sanctioned between January to December 2024. In the same period, 16 projects for the creation/ rehabilitation of 750 MLD sewage treatment capacity have been completed. Till date, a total of 203 sewerage infrastructure projects have been sanctioned in the Ganga Basin for the creation of 6,255 MLD sewage treatment capacity and the laying of a 5,249 km sewer network.

Other key achievements during the year 2024 are as follows:

 

(A) Inauguration and Laying of Foundation Stones Sewerage infrastructure projects by Hon’ble Prime Minister (Under Nirmal Ganga)

 

• On 25^thJanuary 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated the following projects with a cumulative cost of ₹ 790.5 Crores from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.

 

1. Construction of 30 MLD STP at Masani, Mathura (under Hybrid Annuity-basedPPP (HAM) model under Namami Gange Program), Rehabilitation of existing (30 MLD at Trans Yamuna and 6.8 MLD STP at Masani, Mathura) total 36.8 MLD and Construction of 20 MLD TTRO plant (Tertiary Treatment and Reverse Osmosis Plant), Masani, Mathura 

2. Construction of 58 MLD STP with 264 km and sewerage Network at Moradabad

 

• On 1st March 2023, the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated three projects worth
  ₹ 575 crore from Hooghly, West Bengal. These projects include, 40 MLD STP work with Interception & Diversion at Bally, West Bengal, 60 MLD STP work with Interception & Diversion at Kamarhati and Baranagar Municipalities, West Bengal and 65 MLD STP work with Interception & Diversion at Howrah.

 

• On 2^nd March 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated twelve projects worth ₹ 2,189 crore from Aurangabad, Bihar. These projects include 60 MLD STP and 162 km sewerage network at Saidpur, Patna, 60 MLD STP at Pahari, Patna, 93 km sewerage network at Pahari Zone IVA (S), Patna, 116 km sewerage network at Pahari Zone V, Patna, 180 km sewerage network at Beur, Patna, 96 km sewerage network at Karmalichak, Patna, 11 MLD STP at Barh, Patna, 10 MLD STP at Sultanganj, Bhagalpur, 9 MLD STP at Naugachia, Bhagalpur, 3.50 MLD STP at Sonepur, Saran, 32 MLD STP at Chhapra, Saran.

 

• On 10^th March 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated three sewage projects worth ₹ 1,114 crore from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. These projects include 72 MLD STP and I&D network work at Naini (District-G, 42 MLD), Phaphamau (District-F, 14 MLD) and Jhunsi (16 MLD), Prayagraj, 30 MLD STP and I&D network  work at Jaunpur and 45 MLD STP and I&D network work at Etawah.

 

• On 2^nd October 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for ten sewage treatment plant (STP) projects with a total cost of ₹ 1,555 crore. Among these, five projects worth ₹ 534.25 crore were inaugurated across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Additionally, laid the foundation stone for five more projects across Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, amounting to ₹ 1,021 crore.

 

(B) Inauguration and Laying of Foundation Stones Sewerage infrastructure projects by Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Under Nirmal Ganga)

 

• On 4^th January 2024, the Hon’ble Union Minister for Jal Shakti inaugurated 14 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with a 2.4 km Interception & Diversion (I&D) Network worth ₹ 77.36 crores in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.

 

• On 18^th January 2024, the Hon’ble Union Minister for Jal Shakti laid the foundation stone for the 220 MLD Meerut sewage treatment plant (STP) with interception and diversion (I&D) project worth ₹ 370 crore in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

 

3. Training on Occupational Health & Safety Audit

NMCG organized 9 virtual safety training program and trained more than 1,500 officials on "Occupational Health and Safety Audit (OHSA)" From January 2024 to December 2024, to ensure workplace safety and compliance.

4. Activities Under Biodiversity Conservation (Under Aviral Ganga)

 

The programme has sanctioned projects focused on protecting and rehabilitating fishery, turtles, crocodiles, and dolphins. Projects Sanctioned in the year 2024 are as under :

 

• Advancing Rescue System for the protection of stranded Ganges river Dolphins.
• Conservation, Reintroduction, and Rehabilitation of threatened Turtles along ganga basin.

· Expanding Conservation Breeding Programme of Freshwater Turtle and Gharial at Kukrail Rehabilitation Centre, Lucknow

NMCG, in partnership with CIFRI, has successfully implemented fish ranching programs for Indian Major Carps and other species. In 2024, notable achievements include - Ranching of Indian Major Carps (IMC): 49.25 lakhs, Mahseer: 7,370, Hilsa: 42,117 and Hilsa tagging: 1,387 nos.

5. Important Activities (under Jan Ganga)

 

• Launch of Namami Niranjana Abhiyan: NMCG launched the "Namami Niranjana Abhiyan" on 20^th February 2024, aimed at ensuring the perennial flow of the Niranjana (Falgu) river and bolstering the ongoing efforts of the "Niranjana (Falgu) River Recharge Mission". The Falgu river, revered as Niranjana in Bodhgaya and Falgu in Gaya, originates from Belgadda in the Simaria block of Chatra district, Jharkhand, holding profound significance in the Hindu Sanatan religion. Pilgrims partake in rituals such as PindDaan and Tarpan for their ancestors using water from the Falgu river.
• Celebration of International Day of Yoga: On the occasion of the International Day of Yoga, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized ‘Ghat Par Yoga’ at BSF Camp, Zero Pushta, Sonia Vihar in Delhi on the bank of River Yamuna on 21^st June, 2024. Over 1,000 people participated in the event including officials and staff from the NMCG, NGOs under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP-III) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Border Security Force (BSF), Ganga Vichar Manch, various other NGOs, as well as students and children.
• 8^thIndia Water Week 2024: The 8^th edition of India Water Week (IWW) 2024 was held during 17-20 September 2024, in New Delhi, on the theme “Partnerships and Cooperation for Inclusive Water Development and Management.” This prestigious international event has become a key platform for collaboration in water resource management. The event was inaugurated by the President of India,  alongside Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti, and Hon’ble Minister of State for Jal Shakti.

 

• Ganga Utsav- A River Festival 2024: On 4^th November 2024, the 8th edition of Ganga Utsav was organized by NMCG at scenic Chandi Ghat in Haridwar to promote the conservation of the Ganga River, emphasize its cultural and spiritual importance, and raise public awareness about cleanliness. The event was inaugurated by Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti in the august presence of the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Hon’ble Uttarakhand Minister for Women & Child Welfare, Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and DG, NMCG. This eighth edition of the event was the first time held on the riverbank, with celebrations extending across more than 110 districts in the Ganga basin states.The event featured participants from diverse spheres, including students, scientists, spiritual leaders, and more.
• 9^th India Water Impact Summit: The 9^th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) & 2^nd Climate Investments and Technology Impact Summit were organised jointly by NMCG & c-Ganga from 4^th to 6^th December 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

6. International Collaboration

 

• Meeting with German Delegates: On 9^th May 2024, a meeting was held with the Deputy Head of the Economic Division, German Embassy to discuss the current status of projects aimed at rejuvenating the Ganga River, supported through bilateral cooperation between India and Germany.
• Workshop on Strengthening Quality Infrastructure for Water Monitoring of the Ganges River II: NMCG in association with Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)  under Indo-German Technical Cooperation Programme organised a 6-day training programme from 22^nd July to 31^st July 2024.
• Inception Workshop for District Ganga Plans: On 5^th July 2024, NMCG in association with GIZ organized an inception workshop for the District Ganga Plans. The workshop aimed to create comprehensive District Ganga Plans (DGPs) based on a River Basin Management approach, which has been prepared for four pilot districts.
• Smart Laboratory for Clean Rivers (SLCR): The Smart Lab for Clean Rivers (SLCR) has been set up under the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark to bring global solutions on current challenges in the field of clean river water, conduct collaborative research and development to fit in real environment through Living lab approach and creation of platform between Government authorities, academic institutions and technology providers for knowledge sharing and co-creation to achieve clean river water.
• Meeting of the Joint Review Committee: On 9^th October 2024, the first meeting of the Joint Review Committee (JRC) under the India-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held under the chairmanship of DG, NMCG, to address priority areas such as reducing non-revenue water, urban water management through IoT and AI, wastewater treatment, and sewage sludge management.

7.  Development of knowledge products (Under Gyan Ganga)

 

The ‘River Atlas for Ganga Main Stem Districts’, an in-house developed knowledge product of the GKC was launched by the Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti on 09^thDecember 2024 during the 13th Empowered Task Force Meeting. The atlas comprises maps of River Ganga and its tributaries, covering five main stem states in the Ganga basin – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. This comprehensive Atlas is essential for the effective implementation of policies and programs and accurate planning and informed decision-making.

 

2. ​National Water Mission (NWM)

 

“Jal Shakti Abhiyan- Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR)” 2024 campaign: To make water everyone’s business and buoyed by the success of Jal Shakti Abhiyan(s) in the previous years, the Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti launched “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain-2024” on the theme ‘Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti’, 5th in its series on 09.03.2024. Focused interventions of the JSA:CTR-2024 include consolidation of activities i.e. (1) water conservation and rainwater harvesting; (2) enumerating, geo- tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation based on it (3) setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts (4) intensive afforestation and (5) awareness generation. As per the information uploaded by various stakeholders on the JSA:CTR portal (www.jsactr.mowr.nic.in), during the period of 09 March 2024 till 10 January, 2025 under the JSA:CTR campaign, a total of 8,80,269 Water Conservation & Rain Water Harvesting Structures were created/ongoing, 2,16,134 traditional water bodies were renovated/ongoing, 3,61,431 reuse and recharge structures were completed/ongoing and 13,86,975 watershed development structures were completed/ongoing. Further, 6,19,68,567 afforestation activities were carried out under the campaign. 702 Jal Shakti Kendras have been established and 617 District Water Conservation Plans have been prepared by the Districts across the country so far.

“Workshop-cum-orientation programme on Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain 2024” Campaign

A “workshop-cum-orientation programme” was organized by National Water Mission on 24th June 2024 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi to highlight the roles and responsibilities of Central Nodal Officers and Technical Officers appointed for 151 focused districts districts to ensure effective implementation of JSA: CTR-2024 with the theme " Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti".

The workshop was graced by Shri C.R. Paatil, Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti and Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Minister of State, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Also witnesses the presence of Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR; Secretary, DDWS; AS & MD, NWM; AS & MD, JJM and Chairman, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The central teams will make two visits to the allotted districts. One visit will be made in pre-monsoon period i.e. from 31.03.2024 to 30.06.2024 and another visit will be made in post-monsoon period n i.e. from 01.07.2024 to 31.10.2024.

Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari” initiative

In order to give a further impetus to JSA: CTR campaign, the “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari” initiative has been launched in Surat, Gujarat on 06.09.2024. The Hon'ble Prime Minister delivered a virtual address emphasizing the importance of jan bhagidari in water conservation. This collaborative effort aims to enhance water recharge through rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, borewell recharge and recharge shafts, supported by CSR funds from industrial houses, civic bodies and water sector enthusiasts. The initiative aims to construct a million recharge structures including check dams, percolation tanks and recharge wells to enhance groundwater replenishment and support sustainable water management practices throughout the country. This initiative embodies a pledge for united action from all stakeholders, including government bodies, industries, local authorities, philanthropists, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and individuals. The primary aim of the initiative is to construct millions of low-cost, affordable solutions, particularly the locally tailored ones depending upon the region, for groundwater recharge in mission mode.

A round table meeting was held under the Chairpersonship of the Secretary, DoWR, RD&GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti on 29th October 2024 at 15:00 PM at DAIC, New Delhi to discuss on collaboration with Industries, Trusts, Associations, Chambers and Foundations to explore possibilities for diverting CSR Funds to implementation of the "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari" (JSJB) initiative under the ongoing Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) -2024 campaign. 24 industries were invited to participate and 20 shows their involvement, with a total of 43 representatives attend the meeting.

A meeting to explore the Possibilities of collaboration with NGOs was held under the Chairpersonship of the Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti on 23^rd  October 2024 at 11:00 AM to discuss a special focus on construction of artificial recharge structure/borewell recharge/recharge shafts among the other activities for implementation of the "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari" (JSJB) initiative under the ongoing Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2024 campaign.

As of now, data for 4.00 lakh structures has already been uploaded to the dedicated sub-portal named 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari' created on the JSA: CTR portal.

“All India Secretaries’ Conference on Water Vision @ 2047” – Way Ahead

National Water Mission (NWM), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR), Ministry of Jal Shakti organized “All India Secretaries’ Conference on Water Vision @ 2047 – Way Ahead” on 23rd - 24th January, 2024 at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, to discuss the progress made by State/ UT governments on 22 recommendations made during the “1st All India Annual State Ministers' Conference on Water’’ with the theme “Water Vision @ 2047” which was held on 5-6 January, 2023 at Bhopal and to highlight best practices in various water related issues. In order to document the journey of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and best practices of water conservation in various parts of the country, NWM compiled the best practices under ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan:Catch The Rain’ in form of an eBook. This e-book was launched during the event.

The conference was graced by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the then Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti. The Conference witnessed participation of over 300 delegates including 30 Secretaries from 32 States/ UTs. A special attraction of the Conference was ‘Publication Curation’ where over 150 important publications from Centre/ States/ Civil Society Organizations etc. were displayed. A Round Table Conference of Secretaries and CEOs was also held during the Conference to discuss important issues pertaining to water sector wherein 12 CEOs participated.

33 presentations were made and 7 movies were showcased during five thematic sessions of the conference which include (i) Climate Resilience and River Health; (ii) Water Governance; (iii) Water Use Efficiency; (iv) Water Storage and Management; and (v) People’s Participation/ Jan Baghidari. The Conference ended with a presentation of important takeaways emerged during the deliberations held in 2 days Conference on which feedback of the stakeholders were invited.

From Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Conference was attended by Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR; Shri G. Asok Kumar, the then Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG); Ms. Archana Varma, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti and other senior officials of the Department.

Preparation of State Specific Action Plans for Water Sector

NWM envisaged developing State Specific Action Plan (SSAP) for water sector covering irrigation, industry, domestic and waste water of a State/UT. NWM is providing financial assistance of Rs. 50 Lakh to major States and Rs. 30 Lakh to minor States/ UTs as a grant for formulation of SSAPs for water sector. NWM engaged two nodal agencies for coordination and monitoring of SSAP formulation.

North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM), Tezpur, Assam is coordinating & monitoring SSAP formulation for 19 States and National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, Uttarakhand is coordinating & monitoring with remaining 16 States/UTs.

So far, 35 States/ UTs have signed MoUs with the Nodal Agencies. 24 States/UTs have submitted the first phase of draft status report. 07 States/UTs namely Haryana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Tripura, Uttarakhand Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have submitted the second phase of Interim Report. 03 States namely Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra & Gujarat has submitted the Final SSAP Report and approved by Competent Authority.

HRD & Capacity Building and Mass Awareness Programmes

Goal - III of NWM envisages ‘Promotion of citizen and state actions for water conservation, augmentation and preservation, and focused attention to vulnerable areas including over-exploited areas.’ Capacity building of organizations associated with water resources development and management is one of the action points under strategy 3.1 (b) of this Goal. In this direction the National Water Mission provide grants to various Central/State Government Organizations and academic institutions of national repute across the nation for conducting training & capacity building programs. This year training proposals submitted by WALMI Dharwad, NERIWALM Tezpur, WALAMTARI Hyderabad, CWRDM Kerala, NIH Roorke, ICAR-IISWC Bhubaneswar have been approved (as on date) for the very purpose.

Water Talks

A monthly 'Water Talk' lecture series is an important activity undertaken by the NWM with the aim to stimulate awareness, build capacities of stakeholders and encourage people to become active participants to sustain life by saving water on earth. Leading water experts are invited to present inspiring and broadening perspectives on current water issues in the country. 'Water Talk' series was launched on 22nd March 2019 on the occasion of World Water Day.

NWM has so far organized 57 'Water-Talks' on a wide range of topics dominating water sector with a wide range of speakers from NGOs to grassroot workers.

Dialogues with District & Municipal Administrators:

The National Water Mission webinar session on “Best Practices of Water management: (previously known as “Catch the Rain”) Dialogues with DMs” was started from 7th August 2020. NWM has so far organized 45 Sessions “Dialogues with DMs‘' on Best Practices of Water management.

Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)

The National Water Mission organized field visits and social media campaigns as part of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) outreach activities for mass mobilization ahead of World Environment Day 2024. Events were conducted on 31^st  May in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, 1st June in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, and 5^th June at Hauz Khas Lake, New Delhi. These efforts aimed to raise awareness about sustainable lifestyles and promote public engagement in environmental conservation.

The NWM also organized a plantation drive under "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" Campaign launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister, on 29th November, 2024 at the National Zoological Park in Delhi. A total of 15 saplings were planted at the zoo by Additional Secretary & Mission Director and other officers of NWM. All the staff of NWM participated in the event and spread awareness among the masses by shouting slogans "Ma Ke Naam Ek Ped Lagaye, Jal Sankat Ko Dur Bhagaye" "Ma Ke Naam Ek Ped Lagaye, Pani ki Har Bund Bachaye" from CGO Complex to the National Zoological Park in Delhi. The event was successfully completed, and videos and photos of the activity have been uploaded to the Mission LiFE portal for documentation. Several NGOs, including Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana, Art of Living, Indian Plumbing Association, and Sarkaritel/Jal Prahari, played a pivotal role in the success of the plantation drive on behalf of National Water Mission. Together, these organizations facilitated the planting of approximately 62,000 trees across India (PAN India) with active support from local communities. By providing essential resources, ensuring proper tree maintenance, and fostering collaboration, they significantly amplified the campaign's impact. Their efforts have not only enhanced environmental conservation but also raised awareness and inspired widespread participation in sustainable practices

Collaboration with NGO’s National Water Mission has collaborated with some NGOs by signing of MoUs for supporting the activities of NWM and helping to achieve the objective of NWM. The brief details of our MoU partners are as under-

• MoU with Girganga Parivar Trust (Girganga) has been signed on 22.10.2024 on Pro bono basis. They have committed to build 11,111 bore well recharge and 11,111 check dams.
• MoU with Sarkaritel.com/jalprahari.in has been signed on 13.12.2024 on Pro bono basis. They have committed for generating awareness on Water Conservation in the public.
• MoU with Vyakti Vikas Kendra India (VVKI), the Art of Living has been signed on 16.12.2024 on Pro bono basis. They have committed for creating of Water recharge structure with the help of implementing many River Rejuvenation Programs through Government scheme MGNREGA

 

IEC activities

 

IEC wing of NWM took many initiatives to spread awareness among masses as also supplemented to the events organized by NWM. IEC activities were initiated in a big way to make phenomenal reach across the country.

Outreach initiative in association with IRCTC- Banner conveying message for water conservation and rain water harvesting was posted on IRCTC website. This platform has huge presence among masses as crores of travelers use this website for purchase of railway and other tickets.

One more initiative of huge outreach potential is messaging through LED/LCD screens in Railway Stations. Total number of Railway Stations were 106 with 171 different locations which displayed the water conservation message for 100 times a day. This is a breakthrough initiative and does carry message in Hindi and English throughout India.

On International Women’s Day a debate was organized for female staff of NWM, BWUE and R and D wings. The topic was “ Jal Sanrakshan me Nari Shakti ka yogdan/ Role of women in conservation of water”, winners were given certificates and prizes. Coffee mugs with “Nari Shakti” message and Mascot of PIKU were gifted to lady staff/officers in the Department and other women in general public.

Setting up of Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE):

Fulfilling the requirement of one of the goals of NWM, a Bureau was setup under the scheme “National Water Mission” in October 2022, for Promotion, Regulation, and Control of efficient use of water in Irrigation, Industrial and Domestic sectors in India to increase water use efficiency by 20%. The proposed Bureau will be a facilitator for promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries, etc. in the country.

For achieving the aforementioned goal and to prepare the framework forimplementation of the bureau with defined time line, a Task Force was constituted on 19^th  Jan 2023, under the Chairmanship, of Shri Alok Sikka, country representative, India, International Water Management Institute) IWMI. The Task Force has submitted its final report on 14th August 2023. As the directives the Task Force following works have been done so far by BWUE:

 

• Baseline Studies

 

To evaluate water use efficiency of the major/medium irrigation projects, National Water Mission (NWM) has completed 17 baseline studies through 3 premier institutes namely Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI), Hyderabad, Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Aurangabad, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode. The overall project efficiency of the studied projects comes out at 38% (the group weighted average on culturable command area basis).

 

• Benchmark Studies

 

To enhance water use efficiency in some of the water intensive industries viz. Thermal Power plants, Textile, Pulp & Paper and Steel Industry, NWM had awarded a benchmarking study to The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) regarding “Benchmarking Industrial Water Use to Assist Policy for Enhancing Industrial Water Use Efficiency in India”. The study focuses on two industrial sectors viz. Thermal Power Plants & Textile Industries in Phase-I and Pulp & Paper and Steel Industries in Phase-II. TERI has submitted its final report on both Phase I (Thermal Power Plants, Textile Industries) and Phase II (Pulp & Paper and Steel Industries).

 

• Sahi Fasal Campaign

 

The “National Water Mission” launched the “Sahi Fasal” campaign in year 2019 to improve water use efficiency in the agriculture sector. The campaign aims to nudge farmers in water-stressed areas to grow crops that are less water-intensive, more water-efficient, economically rewarding, nutritious, suited to the agro-climatic and hydrological characteristics of the region, and environmentally sustainable. Under the Sahi Fasal initiative, the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE), in collaboration with the Atal Bhujal Yojana, planned 14 nos. of workshops across 7 states during the financial year 2024-25. Out of these, 10 nos. of workshops have been successfully conducted in 06 states, covering districts such as Kolar, Chitradurga, Baramati, Bhiwani, Banda, Bagpat, Gandhi Nagar, Banaskatha, Sagar, Panna of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh respectively. The remaining 4 workshops are scheduled to be held in Arunamti (Maharashtra), Kurukshetra (Haryana), and Hanumangarh and Rajsamand (Rajasthan). These workshops are a significant step toward enhancing water use efficiency and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the targeted regions.

 

• Mandating Low Flow Fixtures

 

Water scarcity and insecurity has become a crucial issue worldwide with consistent increase in global water withdrawals in the last century and it is predicted that more than half of the global population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2050. The standards, IS 17650 (Part 1) and IS 17650 (Part 2) cover additional requirements for assessment and water efficiency rating of the sanitary wares (such as water closets, squatting pans, flush valves, flushing cisterns and urinals) and sanitary fittings [such as faucets (taps) and showerheads] for their performance based on water efficiency. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been requested to consider Water Use Efficiency as additional criteria in the scope of Quality Control Orders issued by them after due stakeholders' consultation process. Also, a research study has been proposed to be conducted in residential, commercial and institutional establishments to assess the quantum of water savings by deploying low flow fixtures (conforming to BIS code IS-17650 Part-1 & Part-2).

 

• National Workshops

To address challenges in domestic water supply sector and explore actionable trategies for improving water use efficiency, a one-day national level workshop on “Enhancing Water Use Efficiency in Domestic Sector in India” has been conceptualised by BWUE with technical support of Indian Plumbing Association (IPA), New Delhi. The workshop is proposed to be held on 27th January 2025.

A one day National Level Workshop in industrial water sector on “Water Sustainability Conference 2025: A Shared Responsibility towards Water Use Efficiency and Water Conservation” has been conceptualized by BWUE with technical support of TERI, New Delhi. The workshop is proposed to be held tentatively in March 2025.

 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:

R&D Division, under National Water Mission, is involved in coordination and implementation of activities under the component “Research & Development Programme in Water Sector” of the Scheme “Research and Development Programme in Water Sector and Implementation of National Water Mission”.

Four premier organisations under the Department, which carry out research of applied nature and provide solutions through the specific research activities, are funded under the scheme. These organisations are as under:

 

• Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune
• Central Soil and Material Research Station, New Delhi
• National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee
• Central Water Commission, New Delhi

 

During the year 2024 (w.e.f Jan, 2024 to December 2024) the following physical Achievements made by these four apex organizations of the Department under R&D Scheme:

 

• Publication of research/ technical reports – 281 Nos.
• Organisation of Trainings and workshops - 94 Nos.
• Training of people for capacity building- 2623 persons
• Publication of high impact technical report & research papers – 18 Nos.

R & D Division has also funded various institute and NGOs for organizing 28 nos seminars/ conference/ workshops for dissemination of research findings in water sector during the year 2024 (w.e.f Jan, 2024 to December 2024).

Achievements in respect of research studies under the R&D scheme during the

year 2024:

 

• 13 new research schemes has been recommended by Standing Advisory Committee and approved by Secretary (WR).
• The research project “Hydro-geological Assessment and Socio-Economic implications of Depleting Water Resources in tourist towns of Uttarakhand” has been completed.
• The research project “Irrigation Efficiency Improvement through On–farm Water Management” has been completed.
• The research project “Dynamic Downscaling to study Climate Change Impacts on
• Water Resource in India” has been completed.

 

3. ​ National Water Development Agency (NWDA): Inter-Linking of Rivers Project

Under National Perspective Plan (NPP) formulated by Government of India, 30 inter-basin water transfer links (16 Peninsular and 14 Himalayan component) have been identified by National Water Development Agency for preparation of Feasibility Reports. Detailed Projects Reports (DPRs) of 11 links, Feasibility Reports (FRs) of 26 links and Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) of all the 30 links have been prepared. The Inter-Linking River (ILR) Programme has been taken up on high priority by Government of India. The works related to ILR projects are already in progress. Five links have been identified as priority links by Govt. of India viz., Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project (MPKC) and Godavari-Cauvery (G-C) Link Project (comprising of 3 link systems).

System studies of four link projects viz.; Manas-Sanksoh-Teesta-Ganga (MSTG) link, Ganga-Damodar-Subernarekha (GDS) link, Subernarekha-Mahanadi (SM) link and Farakka-Sunderbans (FS) link have been initiated and the work of these four links has been awarded to IIT, Guwahati, NIT, Patna, NIT, Warangal and NIH, Roorkee respectively. Inception Reports have been submitted in June, 2023 by all the four Institutes. The draft final reports of MSTG and GDS have been submitted by the respective Institutes. The system studies of Mahanadi-Godavari link have been completed by NIH, Roorkee and the Final Report has been submitted in May, 2023. Awarding of work for system studies of southern linkage initiated, however, it may be taken up after finalization of quantity of water that can be transferred from MSTG, GDS, FS and SM link projects to Mahanadi river, as per system studies. 

Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP): is the first inter-linking of rivers (ILR) project for which implementation has been initiated. The project will be of immense benefit to the water starved Bundelkhand Region, spread across the States of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh which includes districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpur&Raisen and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi & Lalitpur respectively. The status of KBLP is as given below:

 

5. Subsequent to signing of tripartite agreement in year, 2021, Govt. of India approved implementation of the project in December, 2021 at an estimated cost of Rs. 44,605 Crore with central support of Rs. 39,317 Crore.
5. With allocation of budget under RE of FY 2021-22, the implementation of the project has started.
5. Steering Committee and Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) were been constituted vide Gazette Notification dated 11.02.2022.
5. KBLPA HQ Office is set up at Bhopal with three more offices at Chhatarpur, Panna and Jhansi, which are fully functional with regular CEO/ACEOs, Director (Fin.) and other officials.
5. Six meetings of Steering Committee and Six meetings of KBLPA have been held so far.
5. Initially the focus is on land acquisition, R&R, fulfilling the compliances to the conditions of forest clearance and wildlife clearance.
5. Greater Panna Landscape Council (GPLC) under Chief Secretary, Govt. of MP has been constituted for implementation of Landscape Management Plan through various stakeholders. Its first meeting was held on 05.09.23. Sub-Committee of GPLC was constituted on 16.10.2023 and its 1^st& 2^nd meetings were held on 17.10.2023 & 29.11.2023 respectively.
5. Planning for an Integrated Research and Learning Centre (IRLC) at Panna has already been initiated by WII.
5. The Monitoring Committee for R&R works of KBLP under Secretary, DoLR, MoRD has been constituted.
5. Collector, Chhattarpur has made payment of Rs. 197.23 Crore to the affected Families. Whereas, Collector Panna has made payment of Rs.76.82 Crore to the affected families of Panna. The remaining Land Acquisition Payment for Private land in both the districts are in Progress.
5. The work for engagement of Project Management Consultant (PMC) is in process. 9 bids were received for PMC, Result of Technical Evaluation of Bids was published on the CPP Portal on 22.08.2024. The Financial Proposals of the 5 technically qualified firms were opened on 10.09.2024. 20 meetings of Consultancy Evaluation Committee (CEC) for hiring PMC have been held so far. 20^th meeting of CEC was held on 11.09.2024 for financial evaluation of bids. After financial and technical evaluation of bids received, recommendations of the CEC have been submitted to DoWR,RD&GR, MoJS for approval on 13.09.2024.
5. A Technical Advisory Group for KBLP (TAG-KBLP) for KBLPA has been constituted to review and advise KBLPA on various planning and technical matters on implementation of various components of the link project. 10 meetings of TAG have been held so far.
5. The tender document for the main component of the project i.e. Daudhan dam and its Appurtenant works (EPC mode) was finalized by Technical Advisory Group of KBLP and the Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC) and floated on CPP portal on 11.08.2023.   The complete proposal of technical and financial evaluation of bids was sent to Ministry of Jal Shakti that has been approved by Ministry. Subsequently, KBLPA has issued Letter of Acceptance to M/s NCC Limited for the work of Daudhan dam on 28.11.2024.
5. Stage–II Forest Clearance for diversion of 6017.00 ha of forest land for development of KBLP has been accorded by MoEF& CC on 03.10.2023.
5. The draft tender for EPC execution of Ken-Betwa Link Canal is prepared in two packages and circulated to State Governments of MP and UP for their comments/suggestions. Suggestions from Govt. of UP have been received.
5. PTR has accepted total 6017 ha non-forest land Transferred/ Mutated. Notification of 6017 ha has been completed by Forest Department under section-29 of Indian Forest Act-1927 and has been published.
5. Land in submergence: 3239 ha (Govt. Land: 1784.67 ha + Private Land 1454.33 ha) of land is coming under submergence area of Daudhan Dam. Private land of 1454.33 ha and Government land of 1604.429 ha has been mutated in favour of WRD, MP. Balance 180.241 ha Government land is likely to be transferred to WRD, MP soon.
5. Land Acquisition for Ken Betwa Link canal (99 villages of MP and 10 villages of UP) is under progress.
5. The work on State specific components like Lower Orr, Kotha Barrage and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project is already in progress. Head Works of Lower Orr has been completed whereas Head Works for Kotha & Bina are ongoing.

Cumulative Progress (%) upto December, 2024

5. Lower Orr      : 67.00
5. Kotha Barrage: 59.00
5. Bina Complex: 50.20

5. The preparation of DPRs of components of UP likes two barrages, renovation and modernization of Tanks of Mahoba district, renovation and modernization of three weirs and ken command system is in progress.
5. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji laid the Foundation Stone of KBLP on 25.12.2024 at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh).
5. The project is planned to be completed in 8 years by March, 2030.

 

Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project (MPKC):

 

5. PFR has been circulated to concerned States. The work of DPRs is under progress.
5. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed on 28.01.2024 amongst States of MP, Rajasthan and Govt. of India.
5. Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) of Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link project has been signed on 05.12.2024 amongst States of MP, Rajasthan and Govt. of India. Subsequently Hon’ble Prime Minister declared the signing of the agreement on 17^th December, 2024 at Rajasthan.

 

Godavari-Cauvery (G-C) Link Project (comprising of 3 link systems):

 

5. Modified proposal for transfer of 4189 MCM of water from Godavari along with supplementation in Krishna basin through Bedti-Varda link (524 MCM) has been studied by NWDA.
5. Draft DPR of the modified /revised proposal has circulated to the concerned State/UT during Jan., 2024.
5. Draft MoA has been prepared for implementation of the project and circulated to concerned State/UT for perusal and observation during April, 2024.
5. Concerted efforts are being made for building up consensus amongst the States/UT for signing of MoA for the early implementation of this link project.

 

8^th India Water Week 2024:

 

5. IWW-2024 was successfully organized/held from 17^th to 20^th September, 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
5. The theme of the 8^th India Water Week is “Partnerships and Cooperation for Inclusive Water Development and Management”.
5. The mega event was inaugurated by the Hon'ble President of India.
5. The four-day multi-disciplinary conference comprises of Ministerial Plenary, Global Water Leaders’ Plenary (2), Country Forum (4), Water Leaders Forum (9), Practitioner’s Forum (8), Startup Forum, Youth Forum, Water Convention (18) one-day study tour and concurrently organized exhibition. Denmark, Australia and Israel were the Partner Countries. There were 15 Partner States viz.; Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.

More than 4500 delegates from India & abroad participated in the IWW-2024. About 215 delegates from 40 countries participated in the conference. Parallel to the conference, in the exhibition 143 Exhibitors from Central, States Government, Public Sector undertakings, Private Firms, NGOs, Startups and Schools etc. showcased their technologies.

4. ​ Central Water Commission (CWC)

 

      (i)   Central Water Commission has undertaken sedimentation assessment studies of selected reservoirs located in various States using Satellite Remote Sensing technique under the plan scheme "Research & Development Programme in Water Sector”. It is planned to take up the studies in respect of 80 reservoirs during 2021-26. Accordingly, the work of carrying out the study for the first batch of 40 reservoirs was outsourced.  Due to non-availability of either the desired water levels or satellite data for a reservoir on date of satellite pass, study in respect of 31 reservoirs was feasible which has been completed and reports published during 2022 to 2024. Besides this sedimentation studies in respect of 30 reservoirs have been completed in-house using Remote Sensing Techniques. Furthermore, a Google Earth Engine-based tool has also been developed by CWC officers, in-house under Smart Water Resources Modelling Organization (SWRMO) - Centre for Excellence, to automate the assessment of sedimentation in the live storage zone of reservoir.

      (ii)  A World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) team conducted the Mid-Term Review (MTR) mission for the Second Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2) between January 17 and May 3, 2024. The mission held discussions with Implementing Agencies (IAs) in Bhubaneshwar (Odisha), Surat (Gujarat), and New Delhi and undertook field visits to selected dams in Gujarat (Ukai) and Odisha (Hirakud, Rengali). The wrap-up meeting was held in New Delhi, chaired by Joint Secretary, D/o WR, RD&GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and attended by Project Director, Central Water Commission (CWC), members of the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU), the Engineering and Management Consultant (EMC), and representatives of all Implementing Agencies (IA). As part of the mission, a detailed exercise on the use of the rapid risk assessment tool for Indian dams, in compliance with the National Dam Safety Act 2021, was carried out between March 5 and May 3, 2024.

      (iii) The quarterly dialogues on Coastal Area Management, initiated as per the direction of the Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC) was held in April and May 2024.These dialogues brought together stakeholders from various levels of government, research institutions, and relevant departments to discuss pressing issues such as coastal erosion, salinity ingress, and the need for robust data collection and management. The dialogues provided a platform for sharing information, best practices, and innovative solutions from all stakeholders. As an outcome of the Quarterly Dialogue, CWC has published a report titled “Status Report on Coastal Area Management- An Indian Perspective, Region Issues & Remedial Measures”. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and initiatives related to coastal management in India. The report highlights the significant impacts of coastal erosion and salinity ingress, emphasizing the need for robust data collection, effective mitigation strategies, and increased collaboration among stakeholders.

(iv) A Smart Water Resources Modelling Organization acts as Centre of Excellence to grow as a pioneering hub for developing in-house expertise and innovation in tackling diverse problem statements and studies in water sector and directly reports to Chairman, CWC.

(v) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 06.06.2024between Central Water Commission (CWC) and IIT, Roorkeefor research work related to Irrigation Efficiency Assessment, Water Accounting studies, Cropped Area Mapping, Water Auditing, Urban Flood Forecasting & Risk Management, Urban Flood Inundation & Hazard Mapping, etc. These works will be carried out through mutual consultations and collaboration, leveraging the expertise and resources of both institutions.

(vi) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Central Water Commission (CWC) and Space Application Centre (SAC) in the field of hydrology and water resources management, leveraging remote sensing and collaborative research efforts for mutual benefit on 08^th July,2024.

(vii) Support for Irrigation Modernization Program (SIMP): Central Water Commission (CWC), DoWR, RD & GR has taken up an initiative Support for Irrigation Modernization Program (SIMP) with technical assistance from theAsian Development Bank (ADB) to modernize Major/ Medium Irrigation (MMI) projects in the country.

(viii) SIMP is proposed to be taken up in 4 phases. SIMP Phase-1 concluded on 31.12.2021 under which 4 MMI projects have been identified for inclusion under 1st batch of projects for preparation of Irrigation Modernization Plans (IMPs) out of the 57 proposals received from 14 States and 2 UTs. The entire process including the preparation of IMPs, Detailed Project Report (DPRs), detailed designs and final implementation/ project execution is expected to be completed by Phase-4. Implementation of the project would lie with the concerned States who would have an option to either fund it from their own resources or they can avail loan facility from ADB or any other financial institutions.

(ix) SIMP Phase-2 was initiated from November 2022. Irrigation Modernization Plan (IMP) of four projects namely VanivilasaSagara Project, Karnataka, Palkhed Project Maharashtra, Purna Project, Maharashtra and Loharu Lift Irrigation Project, Haryana have been prepared. As a 1st step for preparation of IMPs, FAO developed RAP-MASSCOTE (Rapid Appraisal Procedure-Mapping System and Services for Canal Operation Techniques) workshops were organized to assess the present status of the identified four projects. The findings of RAP MASSCOTE workshops and issues related to Batch 1 SIMP projects were discussed in a mid-term workshop organized by ADB and CWC on 09.06.2023 at New Delhi.

For capacity building under SIMP phase-II, the following activities were organized:

• From 6th to 10th November 2023, a five days training on modernization and design of Pipe Distribution Networks (PDN) was organized at Panchkula/ Chandigarh. 22 Engineers from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab and CWC participated in the training.
• On 15th and 20th December 2023, a Webinar on Irrigation Modernization and Design of PDN Systems was organized.
• A Training on Asset Management Planning for Irrigation Schemes was held from 8^th  to 12^th  January 2024 at WALMI, Aurangabad.
• A training on new technologies in Agriculture and Water Practices was held from 22^nd  to 25^th  January 2024 at HIRMI, Kurukshetra, Haryana.

The Preliminary Project Reports (PPR) of all the four projects has been submitted by ADB to the concerned project authorities. PPR of Loharu, Haryana is under process with Govt department. PPR of Palkhed and Purna, Maharashtra is under process in Planning Department of Haryana, PPR of VVS, Karnataka is under process with state finance Govt of Maharashtra.

PPRs are to be finalized by the states and submitted to DEA. After necessary approval from DEA, action for phase-3 will be taken up for preparation of DPRs.

(x) A Training program on the application of Rapid Risk Assessment tool, in association with the World Bank for the officers of the core group was held during April 22, 2024 – May 3, 2024 at Auditorium, 1st floor, CWC Library Building, Near Sewa Bhawan, Sector-1, R K Puram, New Delhi. Total 66 officials nominated by CWC, NDSA and States / DRIP IAs for taking forward the assignment of carrying out the Rapid Risk Assessment of specified dams in the country.

11. GLOF and Flood forecasting activities: -

CWC finalized the criteria for Risk Indexing of Glacial Lakes in the Indian Himalayan Region in September 2024, which provide a comprehensive methodology for identifying and categorizing Glacial Lakes based on factors such as Glacial Lake size, Glacial Lake type, Side slope, Snout distance from GL etc. and the potential socio-economic impacts of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood.

In the year 2024, 2 new stations (Inflow) have started functioning. Currently CWC is providing flood forecast at 340 stations (200-level forecasting stations & 140-inflow forecasting stations). During the period from 1st April to 30.11.2024, 10415 (i.e. 7093 Level and 3322 Inflow) forecasts were issued, out of which 9947 (95.5%) forecasts were found within the accuracy limit (±0.15m for level forecast and ±20% for inflow forecast).During flood season, CWC operates the Central Flood Control Room on 24x7 basis at its headquarter in New Delhi and 36 Divisional Flood Control Rooms spread throughout the country for monitoring flood situation. On an average, about 10,000 forecasts are issued during flood season every year by the CWC. Normally, these forecasts are issued 6 to 30 hours in advance, depending upon the river terrain and location of the flood forecasting sites and their base stations. In addition to conventional flood forecasting techniques, mathematical model forecasting based on rainfall-run off methodology is being used for some areas. This has enabled CWC to issue 7-day advance flood advisory.

Automated online 7-day flood advisory for all the level and inflow forecasting stations is maintained. “Flood Situation for next seven days” in respect of stations likely to be above warning level has been added in the “Daily Flood Situation Report cum Advisory” based on the 7-day advisory.

12. Flood Plain Zoning

In order to have a reasonable degree of protection, floods need to be managed through both structural & non-structural measures so as to reduce the losses. Non-structural measures are planned activities to modify susceptibility due to flood related damages. These are meant to keep people away from floods. Flood Plain Zoning is one of the main non-structural measures for management of floods worldwide.

A technical committee under the chairmanship of Member (RM) was constituted during November 2022 for formulation of ‘Technical Guidelines on Flood Plain Zoning’ . After due deliberations, the committee submitted the guidelines to Ministry. The guidelines is presently under circulation to the states for their comments/review. Once implemented, these guidelines shall serve as a valuable document in guiding the states in framing their own legislation in protecting their rivers from future encroachments.

13. Hydrological Studies:

The success of a project is largely governed by the hydrological inputs. The success of a project is largely governed by the hydrological inputs. The Hydrological Studies Organization (HSO), a specialized unit under Design and Research (D&R) Wing of CWC, carries out hydrological studies in respect of the water resources projects in the country. The inputs in Detailed Project Report (DPR) or Pre- Feasibility (PFR) stage are made available in the form of:

• Water availability/yield studies.
• Design flood estimation.
• Sedimentation studies.
• Diversion flood studies.

The country has been divided into 7 zones and further into 26 hydro- meteorologically homogeneous sub-zones and flood estimation models are developed for each subzone to compute the design flood in ungauged catchments. So far, flood estimation reports covering 24 sub-zones have been published. During the year 2024- 25, technical examinations of hydrological aspects of DPRs in respect of 88 projects have been carried out in CWC. Out of this, 46 projects have been cleared and comments were issued for 17 projects. Rest of the projects are under examination.

Some of the major works carried out during this period are:

•   Flood frequency analysis & carrying capacity of Yamuna River from Hathnikund Barrage to Delhi.

•   Hydrology Chapter for Bakchachuu HEP, Ringyang HEP, &RimbiKhola HEP has been submitted.

•   100 yr& 500 yr Return Period flood of Chandrawal River under Ken Betwa Link project.

•   Water Availability of the untapped catchment between alignment of feeder canal, Mahalpur barrage and Navnera Barrage Under MPKC link.

Technical Assistance / Advice tendered

HSO has provided secretariat assistance to various technical/ expert committees for undertaking special studies on various aspects related to water resources development and management. Some of the important contributions during the year 2024- 25 are as under:

• Hydrological Studies for Ponnaiyar River Basin, to resolve the interstate issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• Hydrological modeling for heavy rainfall across the Yamuna River catchment in July 2023 caused significant runoff and discharge, leading to rapid water level rises. In this study estimated submergence areas for different return-period floods, analyzed embankment overtopping, and identified drainage congestion and afflux of existing structures using 2-D modeling for the river reach between 21 km upstream of Wazirabad barrage and 10 km downstream of Okhla barrage.

Hydrological modeling for tackling issues related to high intensity rainfall, riverine flood, drainage and interrelated issues in urban areas.

14. Planning and Design of Water Resources Projects

CWC is actively associated with design of majority of the mega water resources projects in India and neighboring countries, viz., Nepal and Bhutan by way of design consultancy or in the technical appraisal of the projects. At present CWC is provided design consultancy to 94 projects. Out of this, 31 projects (including 3 from neighboring countries) are at construction stage, 35 projects (including 2 from neighboring countries) are at DPR stage and 28 projects involve special problems.

National Committee on Seismic Design Parameters: -

The National Committee on Seismic Design Parameters (NCSDP) was constituted by MoWR Order dated 21 st October, 1991 with the objective to recommend the seismic design parameters for the proposals received from the dam owners. Member (D&R), CWC is the chairman of the committee with 12 other experts from various engineering disciplines from different technical institutions and Government organizations as its members. Director (FE&SA), CWC is the member Secretary of NCSDP. The 38th meeting of NCSDP was held on 10.05.2024 at CWC, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Member (D&R) wherein six projects were cleared.

Further, a special meeting of NCSDP was held on 05.06.2024 wherein the Guideline for Preparation and Submission Of Site-Specific Seismic Study Report of River Valley Project To National Committee On Seismic Design Parameters was revised comprehensively to be in line with the International practices.

15. National Register of Large Dams:

Before enactment of Dam Safety Act 2021, Dam Safety Organisation (DSO) , CWC compiled and maintained the register of large dams across the country in the form of National Register of Large Dams (NRLD) based on information provided by State Govts. / PSUs. After enactment of Dam Safety Act 2021, the NDSA has been mandated to maintain National level database of all specified dam in the country. The National Register of Specified (Large) Dams 2023 was released by Hon'ble Vice President of India in International Conference on Dam Safety held during 14th-15th September 2023 at Jaipur. As per NRLD- 2023, there are 6138 constructed and 143 under construction dams in the country. The NRLD, 2023 is available on CWC's website and can be accessed by l ink- https:// cwc. gov. in/ publication/nrld.

16. Technical Examination of Instrumentation aspects of the projects:

Hydroelectric project:-

Detailed Project Report (DPR)/ construction drawings of 29 river valley projects in various States/ countries namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Sikkim Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Bhutan and Nepal were examined, out of which 4 projects have been cleared with respect to instrumentation aspects and remaining 25 projects are at various stages of examination.

Pumped storage Project:-

Detailed Project Report (DPR)/ construction drawings of 42 river valley projects in various States/ countries namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh were examined, out of which 6 projects have been cleared with respect to instrumentation aspects and for remaining 36 projects, clearance from instrumentation aspects is no longer required as per the latest CEA guidelines.

17. Standing Technical Advisory Committee of CSMRS

The Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) was constituted under the Chairmanship of Member (D&R), CWC for providing an overall perspective and guidance in technical scrutiny of research schemes being undertaken at CSMRS. The STAC is composed of 11 members drawn from various public sector institutions and is headed by Member (D& R), CWC. The 39th Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting of CSMRS was held on 25.10.2024

18. Other Seismic works:

Work related to technical evaluation and critical examination of web-based tool Seismic Hazard Assessment Information System (SHAISYS) being developed by IIT Roorkee and CWPRS Pune under DRIP is being carried out. A meeting is proposed on 18th December 2024 under the chairmanship of Member (D&R), CWC with the expert of IIT Roorkee at CWC, New Delhi regarding way forward for development of SHAISYS.

 

19. CWC Activities under National Hydrology Project (NHP):

Study on “Physical based Mathematical Modelling for estimation of Sediment Rate and Sediment Transport in Seven River Basin” has been completed.

Extended Hydrological Prediction (multi week forecast) for Yamuna, Narmada and Cauvery basins is in progress.

• Reservoir Sedimentation Studies using Hydrographic survey for 32 reservoirs” under Phase-I has been completed. Works of Phase II: Consists of 87 reservoirs in 10 states (Rajasthan, Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, and Odisha is under progress.
• Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning (SITC) of 93 Nos. ADCP (14 + 29 + 50 in three phases) for the measurement of discharge at the HO sites of CWC has been completed. Further procurement of additional 46 no’s ADCP and 8 no’s Total station is in under progress.
• Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning (SITC) of 32 velocity radar sensors for modernization of discharge observations has been completed.
• 7 no’s of  Water Quality Equipment (ICP-MS and GC-MS) have been commissioned and installation & Commissioning of 3 more Water Quality Equipment (1 GC-MS and 2 ICP-MS) is under process.
• Consultancy services for “Early Flood Warning System Including Inundation Forecast in Ganga Basin” is in progress.
• Consultancy services for Development of Decision Support System near to real time for Integrated Reservoir Operation System of Ganga Basin” has been completed.
• Real Time Data Acquisition System (RTDAS) for Narmada Control Authority (NCA) and Arunachal Pradesh comprising of network of 48 & 50 no’s hydro meteorological Stations respectively has been commissioned.
• Reservoir Sedimentation Studies using Hydrographic survey for 32 reservoirs” under National Hydrology Project, Phase-I have been completed and reports published and under Phase II studies in respect of 87 reservoirs are taken up.

20. DAM REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (DRIP) Phase-II and III

Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) is an externally aided project with financial assistance from the World Bank, targeting rehabilitation of some of the selected dams of the Country along with accompanying institutional strengthening component.

Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (Phase-II & III):

Based on the success of DRIP Phase- I, Ministry of Jal Shakti initiated another externally funded scheme, DRIP Phase-II and Phase-III. The Union Cabinet has approved the Scheme on October 29, 2020.

The scheme has provision for rehabilitation of 736 dams located in 19 States (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and three Central Agencies (Central Water Commission, Bhakra Beas Management Board, and Damodar Valley Corporation). It is a State Sector Scheme with Central component, with duration of 10 years, to be implemented in two Phases i.e. Phase- II and Phase-III, each of six years duration with an overlap of two years. The budget outlay is Rs 10,211 Cr (Phase II: Rs 5107 Cr; Phase III: Rs 5104 Cr) with rehabilitation provision of 736 dams. Out of this cost, Rs. 7,000 crore is an external loan and Rs. 3,211 crores would be borne by the respective participating States and the three Central agencies. The funding pattern of scheme is 80:20 (Special Category States), 70:30 (General Category States) and 50:50 (Central Agencies). The scheme also has provision of Central Grant of 90% of loan amount for special category States (Manipur, Meghalaya and Uttarakhand). The DRIP Phase-II and III Scheme is 10 years duration, proposed to be implemented in two Phases, each of six-year duration with two years overlapping. Each Phase has external assistance of US$ 500 M. The Phase-II of the scheme is being co-financed by World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with funding of US$ 250 million each. The loan agreement by World Bank was signed on August 04, 2021 with 10 States (Gujarat, Kerala, MP, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh) and became effective from 12th October, 2021. In addition to 10 States, four States (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka) have been notified by World Bank for inclusion under this scheme in June 2022 and their loan declared effective in January 2023.

The loan agreement by AIIB was signed on 19th May, 2022 with 10 States (Gujarat, Kerala, MP, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh) and declared effective on 29th December, 2022 by AIIB.

Inclusion of four States (Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Telangana) and two Central Agencies (BBMB and DVC) is under process.

Important project achievements include approval of PSTs of 139 dams costing Rs 3715 Cr by the World Bank. The contract(s) amounting approximately Rs 2906 Cr have been awarded by various Implementing Agencies and an amount of Rs 1487 Cr spent as on 30.11.2024 on various project activities including dam rehabilitation, institutional strengthening and project management activities

A training on DRIP Ph-II &Ph-III was given to 40 officers of Punjab WRD on 12th June 2024 at Shahpur Kandi. Few topics were covered like Overview of DRIP Ph-II &Ph-III scheme; dam structural problems & their identification; Procurement procedures; Hydro-Mechanical structural problems; PST preparation; Financial Management of DRIP scheme etc.

A three days training on DFR organized during 8th to 10th July, 2024, in which 22 participants from seven (7) states and CWC participated.

 The Management Information System (MIS-with 05 modules) was officially rolled out to SPMU on 14^th  August 2024. In this regard a virtual MIS demonstration was organized on 14th August 2024 in which concerned officials of CPMU, SPMU, and EMC participated.

2^nd meeting of National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) on DRIP Phase-II and III chaired by Secretary, DoWR, RD and GR were held on 25.09.2024 at New Delhi to discuss the progress and issues of DRIP Scheme.

3^rd  meeting of Technical Committee of DRIP Phase II and III was held on 18.10.2024 under the chairmanship of Member (D&R), CWC at Dehradun, Uttarakhand in which nodal officer and Project Director of DRIP IAs participated. Deliberations in respect of technical matters with regard to pertaining to implementation of the scheme were held during the meeting.

21. National Task Force for Integrated Water Resources Development and Management

National Task Force for Integrated Water Resources Development and Management (NTFIWRDM) has been set up by DoWR, RD & GR vide its OM dated 25.11.2024.

Sustainable development of water resources and its efficient management is the key to water security and economic growth. As a country, aspiring to be the world leader with the most powerful economy, challenges like increasing population, economic growth, industrialization and urbanization are bound to result in increased and conflicting demands for various purposes across the country. Moreover, the vagaries of climate change have already started to affect the water sector adversely. In the wake of ever-growing challenges in the water resources sector, it has become necessary to prospectively assess the projected water use for various purposes. In view of above, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR has set up a National Task Force for Integrated Water Resources Development and Management (NTFIWRDM) on 25.11.2024 under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Member, Niti Aayog with members from various Govt. Departments and experts from different organisations; thereby comprehensively covering various domains of water resources. Chief Engineer, BPMO, CWC is the Member Secretary of the NTFIWRDM. The NTFIWRDM - 2024 is expected to complete its work within 24 months, with interim reports submitted at yearly intervals.

(xxii) LIST OF IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS OF CWC during 2024

Sl. No.	Publication	Released during
1	Water Sector at a Glance-2022	Aug-2024
2	Water & Related Statistics-2023	Sept-2024
3	Water Sector at a Glance-2023	Sept-2024
4	National Register of Major & Medium Irrigation Projects in India-2024	Sept-2024
5	Compendium on Sedimentation of Reservoirs in India	August 2024
6	Assessment of Area Affected Due to Floods in India	July 2024
7	Report on Flood Damage Statistics (1953-2022)	July 2024
8	Assessment of Area Affected Due to Floods in India [Part II: Assessment at Sub-District Level]	September 2024
9	Criteria for Risk Indexing of Glacial Lakes in Indian Himalayan Region	September 2024
10	Status Report on Coastal Area Management – An Indian Perspective, Regional Issues & Remedial Measures	September 2024

 

5. ​Central Ground Water Board (CGWB):

 

National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is implementing National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM), which envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sustainable management of ground water resources. Out of 32 lakh sq km of the entire country, entire mappable area of 25 sq lakh km has been covered under this programme. NAQUIM outputs are shared with various stakeholders including the District Authorities. Building on the experiences of the NAQUIM, the NAQUIM 2.0 has been initiated from the year 2023-24 which emphasizes on detailed mapping and implementable management plans for identified priority areas. CGWB has completed 68 such studies (covering nearly 40,000 sq km) in year 2024.

In order to create infrastructure for data generation under NAQUIM, a Project has been approved by the Public Investment Board (PIB) with an outlay of Rs 805 Cr for implementation by CGWB during the period 2022-2026.  As of now, tenders amounting approximately Rs. 550 Cr have been awarded. 

One of the components of the project involves the construction of 7000 piezometers and the installation of Digital Water Level Recorders with telemetry devices for strengthening and automation of groundwater monitoring networks in the country.  Construction of piezometers for strengthening groundwater monitoring has been initiated in 15 states (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh, Chhattisgarh, UttarPradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, WestBengal, Odisha and Jammu&Kashmir).  A total of 1796 piezometers have been constructed till 31st December 2024.

Another component of the project involves construction of 1135 Exploratory Wells (EW) and Observation Wells (OW) for completing the data gap in the NAQUIM project area for which work has been initiated under all awarded packages in 11 states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam). A total of 319 EW/OWs have been constructed till 31st December 2024.

Ground Water Resources

 

The Ground Water Resource Assessment for the water year 2024 was carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States/UTs, through the web-based automated application “INDIA-GROUNDWATER RESOURCE ESTIMATION SYSTEM (IN-GRES) for the entire country. The assessment provides the state wise ground water resource scenario and insights required to adopt an integrated and sustainable ground water management in the Country.

As per the assessment, the total annual groundwater recharge in the country has been assessed as 446.90 billion Cubic Meter (BCM). The annual extractable ground water resource has been assessed as 406.19 BCM. The annual groundwater extraction for all uses is 245.64 BCM. The average stage of groundwater extraction for the country stands at 60.47 %. Out of the total 6746 assessment units (Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas) in the country, 4951 (73.4 %) assessment units are categorized as ‘Safe’. 711 (10.5 %) assessment units are categorized “Semi-critical’’, 206 (3.05 %) assessment units, have been categorized as ‘Critical’ and 751 (11.1%) assessment units have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’. Apart from these, there are 127 (1.8%) assessment units, which have been categorized as ‘Saline’ as major part of the ground water in phreatic aquifers in these units is brackish or saline.

Key Highlights:

• Total Annual GW Recharge has increased (15 BCM) substantially and Extraction has declined (3 BCM) in 2024 from 2017 assessment. There is slight reduction in recharge and increase in extraction in the present assessment year compared to the preceding year.
• Recharge from Tanks, Ponds and WCS has shown a consistent increase in the last five assessments. In the year 2024, it has increased by 0.39 BCM w.r.t. 2023.
• With respect to the year 2017, there is an increase of 11.36 BCM in recharge from Tanks, Ponds & WCS (from 13.98 BCM in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024).
• The percentage of Assessment Units under Safe Category have increased from 62.6% in 2017 to 73.4 % in 2024 (The percentage of Safe assessment units was 73.14 % in 2023).
• The percentage of Over Exploited Assessment units have declined from 17.24 % in 2017 to 11.13 % in 2024 (The percentage of OE Assessment units was 11.23% in 2023)

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti released “National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India 2024” on 31^st December, 2024.

High resolution aquifer mapping and management in Arid areas of India

• The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has undertaken high resolution aquifer mapping in the arid regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana using advanced heliborne geophysical surveys. Under Phase I of the project, an area of 97,637 sq. km has been surveyed, covering 40,313-line km across 92 blocks in these states.
• Based on the heliborne geophysical survey results, Gram Panchayat-level information of saturated/de-saturated, saline/fresh aquifers, groundwater potential zones, drilling sites, and managed aquifer recharge sites has been identified. Detailed reports have been prepared for 39 out of 92 blocks, comprising 20 blocks in Gujarat, 11 in Rajasthan, and 8 in Haryana.
• A Coffee Table Book on the Summary of the findings of Heliborne Survey Phase I was released on 19.09.2024 in India Water Week-2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi by the Hon’ble Minister of State, Jal Shakti.

Artificial Recharge Activities

Groundwater augmentation through artificial recharge in identified water stressed areas of Rajasthan, comprising Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar, Jhunjhunu & Sikar districts of Rajasthan has been taken up in three phases

• Phase-1: Two large dams have been constructed:
  • Zoned Earth Fill Dam with Clay Core, Indroka, Mandore, Jodhpur
  • Concrete Gravity Dam, Bastawa Mata, Balesar, Jodhpur.
• Phase-2: 82 WHS (Stone Masonary Check Dams (MCD), Anicuts, Concrete Check Dams (CCD & Recharge shafts) have been constructed in certain water stressed blocks of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Sikar district.
• Phase-3: 39 WHS (Check Dam, Anicut, Model Talab) have been constructed certain water stressed blocks in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Alwar districts of Rajasthan to know the concentrated effect of artificial recharge.

Regulation of Ground Water extraction

• The primary role of Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is to regulate groundwater resource exploitation in the country. The Authority has been regulating groundwater development and management by way of issuing ‘No Objection Certificates’ for groundwater extraction to industries, infrastructure projects, Mining Projects, registration of drilling rigs etc., and framed guidelines in this connection.

 

• Development of a new portal for NoC issuance to ground water users i.e. BhuNeer APP, which is an advanced version of the application processing software of CGWA for issuing NOC to ground water users of Industries, Infrastructure & Mining projects and Bulk Water Supply. The motto of developing this portal is to provide users a smooth experience with new features and functionalities.

Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training & Research Institute (RGNGWTRI) 

It is the training wing of CGWB and functions as a `Centre of Excellence’ with the national role of capacity building of Officers and Officials of CGWB, other Central Govt. Depts., State Govt. Depts., Public Sector Undertakings, Non-Governmental Organizations, Academic institutions and other stake holders through three arms -Tier I (National Level), Tier II (State Level) and Tier III (Block level) trainings.

• During the last 10 years, from 2012-13 to 2024-25(As on 24.12.2024) a total of 1711 training courses (Tier-I, Tier-II & Tier-III) were organized (Male 83,330 + Female 30,369 = 1,13,699 Participants) by RGNGWTRI, Raipur.
• The institute has also conducted Four trainings for foreign nationals, during the last 10 years

Development of three Indigenous Softwares as part of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2022- a significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat

• Smart India Hackathon (SIH), a nationwide initiative envisioned under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister is an important mega annual event among students to provide solutions through innovations for specific challenges identified by different organizations. It is an annual event organized by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, All India Council for Technical Education, along with partners. Based on problem statements shared by CGWB and under the mentorship of CGWB scientists, following three software applications were developed by engineering students as a part of Smart India Hackathon (SIH)

• Hydra-Q: A Standalone desktop application for analysis, visualization and interpretation of hydrochemical data.
• Aqua Probe: A Standalone desktop application for Pumping Test data analysis.
• OASIS-G: Online application System for Stable Isotope Studies-Ground Water

The software applications can be accessed / downloaded from CGWB website (https://www.cgwb.gov.in/freewares-groundwater-data-analysis).

These freeware applications will be useful for students, researchers and groundwater professionals. So far, the software that are used for such kind of analysis are developed mostly in countries other than India. This is a significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and is likely to reduce India’s dependence on foreign software.

Aquifer Management for Augmentation and Sustainability of Urban Water Supply- Faridabad

 

CGWB has taken up a study on augmentation of water supply to Faridabad city through sustainable ground water development in active Yamuna flood plain in 2024. CGWB has signed MoU with Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA)

Ground Water Quality Analysis

 

The comprehensive assessment of Ground Water Quality conducted by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) provides valuable insights that can guide remedial actions and inform future planning by various stakeholders. Notably, this report on Ground Water Quality is the first to implement a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for groundwater quality monitoring, which ensures consistency in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Additionally, the use of internationally recognized methods significantly bolsters the credibility and technical rigor of the findings. On December 31, 2024, Sh. CR Paatil, Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti, unveiled the Annual Groundwater Quality Report, 2024.

Key Highlights:

• In terms of cation chemistry, calcium dominates the ion content, followed by sodium and potassium. For anions, bicarbonate is the most prevalent, followed by chloride and sulphate. This indicates that overall water in the country is of Calcium-Bicarbonate type.
• Some regions face sporadic contamination of nitrates, fluoride, and arsenic.
• Seasonal trends observed in parameters like Electrical Conductivity (EC) and fluoride provide evidence of positive monsoon recharge effects, which improve water quality.
• From an agricultural perspective, the analysis of Sodium Adsorption Ration (SAR) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) reinforces the generally favorable suitability of groundwater for irrigation, with over 81% of samples meeting safe thresholds. However, localized issues of high sodium content and RSC values demand targeted interventions to prevent long-term soil degradation.
• 100% of ground water samples in North-Eastern States are in excellent category for irrigation.

6.     Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2021-26 with an outlay of ₹93,068 Crore to benefit about 22 lakh farmers

• Against a target of 34.63 Lakh Ha irrigation potential of 25.80Lakh Ha (approx.74.5%) created through AIBP works of the prioritized projects during 2016-17 to 2023-24
• Nine (09) new MMI projects and two (02) new National projects have been further included under PMKSYAIBP.

 

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP):

The Government of India on 27.07.2016 approved funding of the 99 prioritized irrigation projects (and 7 phases) with an estimated balance cost of Rs. 77,595 Crore (Central share- Rs. 31,342 crores; State share- Rs. 46,253 crores) for completion in phases. The works include both the AIBP and CAD works. Funding arrangement for both Central Assistance (CA) and State Share made through NABARD under Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF). Targeted Irrigation Potential to be created under the scheme is 34.63 Lakh ha. An expenditure of Rs. 68891 crore (upto March 2024) has been reported to be incurred by the concerned State Governments on these projects since 2016-17. In January 2020, Ministry of Finance conveyed the continuation of ongoing centrally sponsored scheme up-to 31.03.2021.

 

Physical Progress: Against the target of 34.63 Lakh Ha. Irrigation Potential of about 25.80 Lakh ha. has been created through AIBP works of the prioritized projects during 2016-17 to 2023-24. The potential created during 2024-25 shall be available only after the end of cropping season.

 

Project Completed under PMKSY-AIBP: AIBP works of 62 prioritized projects out of identified 99 projects (and 7 phases) were reported to be completed till date.

Implementation of PMKSYAIBP (including CADWM) during 2021-26:

The Government of India has approved implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2021-26 with an outlay of ₹93,068 Crore on date 15-Dec-2021 to benefit about 22 Lakh farmers. The Union Cabinet has approved central support of ₹37,454 Crore to States and ₹20,434.56 Crore of debt servicing for loan availed by Government of India for irrigation development during PMKSY 2016-21. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, ‘Har Khet Ko Paani’ and Watershed Development components have been approved for continuation during 2021-26. Total additional irrigation potential creation targeted during 2021-26 under AIBP is 13.88 Lakh hectare. Apart from focused completion of 60 ongoing projects including their 30.23 lakh hectare command area development, 9 additional projects have been taken up till date. Also, two national projects, namely Renukaji Dam Project (Himachal Pradesh) and Lakhwar Multipurpose Project (Uttarakhand) have also been included for central funding of 90% of works of water component under the scheme.

A slew of Innovative measures and modification have been made to improve implementation and maximize benefits, such as:

 Inclusion of new Major/Medium Irrigation (MMI) projects as well as funding of National Projects under AIBP.

 Financial progress requirement is dropped for inclusion of a project underAIBPand only physical progress of 50% to be considered.

 Advanced stage (50% physical progress) criteria are relaxed for projects having command area of 50% or more in Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), tribal, Desert Development Programme (DDP), Flood prone, Tribal area, Flood prone area, left wing extremism affected area, Koraput, Balangir and Kalahandi (KBK) region of Odisha, Vidarbha& Marathwada regions of Maharashtra and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh, as also for Extension Renovation Modernization (ERM) projects and also for States with net irrigation below national average.

 Reimbursement is allowed for due central assistance in subsequent year also.

   Project completion permitted with physical progress of 90% or more.

 Online Management Information System (MIS) has been developed for monitoring of the projects. A nodal officer for each of the 99 priority projects has been identified who updates the physical and financial progress of the project regularly in the MIS.

 GIS based Application has been developed for geo-tagging of project components. Remote Sensing Techniques have been used for digitization of the canal network of the projects. Further, the Cropped Area estimation in the command of 99 priority projects is being carried out annually through remote sensing.

 To resolve the issue of Land Acquisition (LA) and increase water conveyance efficiency, use of Underground Pipeline (UGPL) has been actively promoted. Guidelines for Planning and Design ofPiped Irrigation Network were released by this Ministry in July, 2017.

 Pari-passu implementation of Command area development works in the commands of these projects is envisaged to ensure that the Irrigation Potential Created could be utilized by the farmers. New Guidelines bringing focus on Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) have been brought out. Further, transfer of control and management of irrigation system to the Water Users’ Association (WUA) has been made necessary condition for the acceptance of CADWM completion.

The Financial Progress under PMKSY-AIBP is as follows:

(Rs. in crore)

 

Funds Released	2016-17 to 2023-24	2024-25 (so far)	Total
Central Assistance for AIBP projects including special and National Projects	18550.98	629.22	19180.20
State Share	33830.83	180.60	34011.4
Total	52,381.81	809.82	53191.6

 

Special Package for Maharashtra: A Special Package approved on 18.07.2018 which provides Central Assistance to complete 83 Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) projects and 8 Major / Medium Irrigation Projects in drought prone districts in Vidarbha and Marathwada and rest of Maharashtra in phases up to 2023-24 (extended till March-25). The overall balance cost of the said projects as on 1.4.2018 is estimated to be Rs.13651.61 Crore. Total CA is estimated to be Rs. 3831.41 Crore including reimbursement for expenditureduring 2017-18Balancepotentialof 3. 77 Lakh Ha would be created on completion of these schemes. CA of Rs. 2901.63 crores have been released under the scheme so far. Under the scheme, 53 SMI and 2 MMI projects have been reported to be completed by the State Government of Maharashtra. Overall irrigation potential of 1.66 Lakh ha. has been reported to be created through all these projects during 2018-19 to 2023-24. Further potential created during 2024-25 shall be available only after the end of cropping season.

Modernization of Command Area Development & Water Management (M-CADWM):

The Ministry of Jal Shakti is reviewing the CADWM programme to make it more relevant in the current context of water use efficiency and agricultural productivity. The proposed change is a proposed smart irrigation scheme which envisages transforming the existing command (whether rain fed or gravity based) to a Pressurized Piped Irrigation Command (PPIC) by providing pressurized irrigation water from Established source to Farm Gate below Minor (Tertiary) Level Network. This will make the entire command area micro-irrigation ready with robust back-end infrastructure using Surface Water. The farmers shall be empowered by creating a Water User Society, which will also be an “economic entity”.

The Scheme will develop suitable models for different Agro-Climatic zones, integrating various sources of water, and different levels of water availability, covering both areas of assured irrigation and protected irrigation. These models will pave the way for development of a National Plan for Modernization of water management in rural area in general and irrigation services in particular based on integrated, sustainable, efficient and inclusive water management.

Polavaram Irrigation Project: Polavaram Irrigation Project was declared as National Project under Section 90 of AP Reorganization Act, 2014, which came into force on 1^st  March 2014. The project with 2467.50 m of earth-cum-rock fill dam and 1121.20 m long spillway aims at irrigating 2.91 Lakh ha in erstwhile East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna districts besides several other benefits envisaged by it. Central Government is funding 100% of the remaining cost of the irrigation component of the project, as on 01.04.2014. Government of Andhra Pradesh is executing the irrigation component of the project on behalf of Government of India. The approved cost of the Project as per Revised Cost Committee (RCC) is Rs 29,027.95 cr at 2013-14 PL and Rs 47,725.74 cr at 2017-18 PL up to FRL i.e. EL +45.72 m. After declaration as National Project, a sum of Rs. 15,605.96 cr has been released for execution of Polavaram Irrigation Project so far.

The Union Cabinet has approved the revised cost of the PIP in its meeting held on 28.08.2024, with water storage upto EL + 41.15 m at a cost of Rs. 30,436.95 cr with balance central grant for the project limited to Rs. 12,157.53 cr. Further, an amount of Rs. 2,348 cr has been released on 09.10.2024 as advance payment to GoAP on account of execution of Polavaram Irrigation Project in addition to the reimbursement of Rs 15,605.96 cr made to GoAP.

As reported by Water Resource Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, an expenditure of Rs 18,348.84 cr has been incurred on the project works up to 30.11.2024, after declaration of Polavaram irrigation project (PIP) as National Project.

7.  Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal)

Atal BhujalYojana (Atal Jal) is a Central Sector Scheme of Government of India with an outlay of Rs 6000 Crore, with focus on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable ground water management in identified water stressed areas in 8203 water stressed Gram Panchayats of 229 administrative blocks/Talukas in 80 districts of seven States in the country viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The scheme, partly funded by the World Bank, is being implemented from 1.04.2020 for a period of 6 years.

This unique scheme aims at increasing the capacity of States to manage their ground water resources and for ensuring their long-term sustainability with active participation of the local communities through a mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches. It also envisages convergence of various ongoing schemes for implementation of interventions for improving ground water availability with emphasis on demand management and also to inculcate behavioral changes in the community to ensure optimal use of available water resources.

The launch of Atal Bhujal Yojana heralds a change in the Government policy for ground water management by emphasizing the importance of community participation in planning, execution, and monitoring of scheme activities; convergence of ongoing schemes for implementing interventions aimed at improving ground water availability; focus on demand side management through improving water use efficiency and incentivizing participating States for awareness creation among the masses on the importance of ground water.

Atal Bhujal Yojana also envisages improving the capacity of States for ground water governance through strengthening of institutions dealing with ground water management, improving ground water monitoring networks, creation of awareness among the public on the importance and criticality of ground water resources and building the capacity of the grass root level stakeholders to plan and utilize the available resources in a judicious manner. It also addresses the gender perspective by making it mandatory to include women in all activities of the scheme.

Atal Bhujal Yojana is expected to improve ground water conditions in the target areas and to contribute significantly to ensure ground water sustainability for interventions planned under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). It is also expected to contribute to the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s goal of doubling farmers’ income and to result in optimal use of ground water by the stakeholders in the long-run.

Further, to bridge the gap in the data availability at the GP level for better water management across India, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation in collaboration with Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken the initiative to expand water budgeting exercise to non-Atal Jal areas as well by their inclusion in the Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).

Key achievements under Atal Bhujal Yojana are as follows:

• Public disclosure of data in all the Atal Jal GPs through various modes of disclosure viz., central/state web portals, display board at each GP, social media, wall paintings, distribution of pamphlets/brochure, public meetings and Atal Jal Mobile application.
• States have used innovative measures like Groundwater Data Information Dissemination Centers, QR codes, social media, etc., to disseminate the groundwater related data to public.
• Community led Water Budget and WSPs prepared for all the 8203 GPs and updated on yearly basis.
• Groundwater monitoring system has been strengthened at GP level by providing equipment like Digital Water Level Recorders, water level indicators, rain gauges, water quality testing kits, water flow meters etc. In addition, piezometers have been constructed in GPs for monitoring of water levels.
• A total of 49 State level, 410 District level, 1152 Block level and 99,406 GP level trainings have been conducted so far.
• Awareness and sensitization at GP level through innovative Information Education and Communication practices like narrowcasting in Haryana, folk dances/songs in Karnataka, Jal dindis in Maharashtra, Ratri Choupals in Rajasthan have been used to drive the message of sustainable groundwater management.
• Investment of Rs. 4355 Crore towards implementation of interventions proposed under WSPs through convergence.
• An area of around 6.7 lakh Hectares has been brought under efficient water use practices including Drip, Sprinkler, Mulching, Crop Diversification etc.
• More than 70,000 wells are being monitored for water level at GP level and shared with community.
• More than 90,000 existing Water Conservation and Artificial Recharge structures have been mapped.
• 813 GPs in 47 Blocks have shown improvement in ground water level.
• A total of Rs.3420.57 Cr. has been disbursed to the States since the inception of the scheme. A total of Rs.2863.98 Cr. has been utilized by the States since the inception of the scheme.
• Sixth meeting of National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) for implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana was held on 07 June 2024.

 

8. Minor Irrigation Statistics: Progress under the scheme “Irrigation Census”:

 

Minor Irrigation Census conducted quinquennially in order to create a sound and reliable database on groundwater and surface water minor irrigation schemes in the country. The Minor Irrigation Census is conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census” with 100% central funding through which State Statistical Cells constituted under different States/UTs are also supported.

 

The sixth Minor Irrigation Census and the first Census of Water bodies covering all water bodies in the country, both rural and urban have been completed. All India and State-wise report on 6^th Minor Irrigation Census and First Census of Water Bodies has been published and are available at the Department website ‘https://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in’. Key results have been disseminated on Bhuvan portal and the state wise unit level data has also been disseminated on Open Government Data (OGD) platform.

During 2024, the following progress under the scheme “Irrigation Census” has been achieved:

• 7^th Minor Irrigation Census and 2^nd Census of Water Bodies are underway, along with two new censuses: the 1^st Census of Springs and the 1^st Census of Major and Medium Irrigation Projects, with reference year 2023-24.
• An all-India Workshop on these Censuses was held in 2023, with participation from all States and Union Territories. NIC has developed a mobile/web application for these censuses, with pilot testing successfully conducted in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Meghalaya in month of October, 2024.
• Six regional workshops for training of trainers for upcoming censuses are being conducted at regional centers in Tripura, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and West Bengal from December, 2024 to January, 2025 to provide training to trainers at State level for further capacity building.
• Grands-in-aid to States/UTs were released timely on receipt of proposals from eligible States/UTs.

 

9. ​Flood Management Wing (FM):

 

Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP):

 

The “Flood Management Programme (FMP)” and “River Management Activities and Works related to Border Areas" (RMBA) under operation during XII Five Year Plan were merged as "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20 and further extended up-to March, 2021. Cabinet further approved the continuation of FMBAP scheme during 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 4100 Crore (FMP-Rs. 2940 Crore and RMBA – Rs. 1160 Crore).

Since the inception of FMBAP (till December 2024), Central Assistance of Rs. 7136 crores have been released to States/UTs under FMP component of Flood Management & Border Area Programme (FMBAP) scheme and Central Assistance of Rs. 1258.73 crores have been released to UTs/States under RMBA component of FMBAP scheme.

 

Completion of balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project: DoWR, RD & GR has taken up the long pending project for completion of balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project, Bihar and Jharkhand. In August, 2017 the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project at an estimated cost of Rs. 1622.27 crore during three financial years from the start of the project. Subsequently, at the request of both State Governments, certain other components were found necessary to be included in the project. Complete lining of Right Main Canal (RMC) and Left Main Canal (LMC) was also regarded essential from technical considerations to derive envisaged irrigation potential. Thus, the works of Gaya distribution system, lining of RMC and LMC, remodeling of enroute structures, construction of a few new structures and onetime Special Package for R&R of Project Affected Families (PAFs) were to be provided for in the updated cost estimate. Accordingly, Revised Cost Estimate of the project was prepared. Out of the cost of balance works of Rs. 2430.76 crore, the Central would provide Rs.1836.41 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval to the proposal to complete the balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project at a revised Cost of Rs. 2,430.76 crore on 04.10.2023. Project will provide irrigation benefit to 114,021 hectares of land annually in drought prone areas of Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar and Palamau and Garwa districts of Jharkhand. Project also has the provision for supply of 44 MCM water for drinking and industrial water supply. The execution of balance works of the project on turnkey basis by M/s WAPCOS Ltd., a CPSU under DoWR, RD & GR as Project Management Consultant (PMC). 10% works on dam & appurtenant, 100% of additional works of Mohammad Ganjbarrage, 86% works on left main canal and works on Right Main Canal in Jharkhand Portion & 18% works on Bihar portion have been completed.

 

India and Bangladesh Matters

 

A Treaty was signed by the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh on 12th December, 1996 for the sharing of Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka during the lean season. As per the Treaty, the Ganga/Ganges waters is being shared at Farakka (which is the last control structure on river Ganga in India) during lean period, from 1^st  January to 31^st  May every year, on 10-daily basis as per the formula provided in the Treaty. The validity of Treaty is 30 years. The sharing of water as per the Treaty is being monitored by a Joint Committee headed by Members, JRC from both sides. The following India-Bangladesh Joint Committee Meetings have been convened.

 

• • The 83^rd  meeting of the Joint Committee on sharing of the Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka was held at Dhaka on 24^th  January, 2024 after a visit to the joint observation site at Hardinge Bridge, on 24th January, 2024.
  • The 84^th  meeting of the Joint Committee on sharing of the Ganga/Ganges Waters at Farakka was held at Kolkata on 7^th  March, 2024 after visit to the joint observation sites at Farakka on 5^th  March, 2024.
  • The 85^th  meeting of the Joint Committee on sharing of the Ganga/ Ganges waters at Farakka was held at Dhaka (Bangladesh) on 14^th  November, 2024 for the finalization of Annual Report of the lean/dry season of the year 2024.

During the 83^rd  and 84^th  Joint Committee meetings, the Indian delegation was led by Mr. Atul Jain, Commissioner (FM), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Ministry of Jal Shakti. During the 85th Joint Committee meeting, the Indian delegation was led by Mr. Sharad Chandra, Commissioner (FM), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of the Republic of India and Member, India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission. The Bangladesh delegation was led by Dr. Mohammad Abul Hossen, Member, India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

10. National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD)

Cleaning of river is a continuous process and Government of India is supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in addressing the challenges of pollution of rivers by providing financial and technical assistance. Assistance is provided to State Governments for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers (excluding river Ganga and its tributaries) under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) on cost sharing basis between the Central & State Governments for taking up various pollution abatement works relating to interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of sewerage systems, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat development, etc.

Achievements and initiatives underNRCD (1^st January to 31^st December, 2024):

• Project for ‘Pollution Abetment River Banganga at Katra’ in Jammu & Kashmir at a cost of Rs.92.10 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Pollution Abetment and Conservation of river Mindhola at Surat’ in Gujarat at a cost of Rs.98.51 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Interception & Diversion of Sewerage Water from Existing Drains to Nearest STP for Treatment Purposes in Jodhpur City for Pollution Abatement of River Jojari at Jodhpur’ in Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.13.10 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Sewer rehabilitation of old and deteriorated pipes by Trenchless CIPP Technology for main trunk sewer lines heading towards Nandari and Salawas STPs for pollution abatement of Jojari River at Jodhpur’ in Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.51.99 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Design of Complete Sewerage System and Proposal of Development of New STP for Jhalamand Area, Jodhpur for pollution abatement of river Jojari at Jodhpur’ in Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.53.63 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Establishing and Commissioning of 30 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Nandari for pollution abatement of river Jojari at Jodhpur’ in Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.53.86 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Rejuvenation of Imphal-Manipur River and Faecal Sludge and Septage Management at 27 ULBs’ in Manipur at a cost of Rs.92.39 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Elamkulam sewerage project for rejuvenating Chitrapuzha River through restoration of natural streams/outfalls carrying sewage/pollutants-Construction of STP 17.5 MLD’ in Kerala at a cost of Rs.47.53 crore was sanctioned.
• Project for ‘Perandoor Sewerage Project for Rejuvenating Periyar River through Restoration of Natural Streams/Outfalls Carrying Sewage/Pollutants—Construction of 19 MLD STP (Part 1)’ in Kerala at a cost of Rs.49.78 crore was sanctioned.
• Project Management Consultant has been appointed for implementation the project of ‘Pollution abatement and conservation of River Nag at Nagpur, Maharashtra’ sanctioned at a cost of Rs.1,926.99 crore with Japan International Cooperation Assistance.
• Project for pollution abatement of river Devika and Tawi at Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir sanctioned for Rs.186.74 crore has been completed 3 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with total capacity of 13.06 mld constructed under NRCP.
• Project for pollution abatement of river Tapi at Surat, Gujarat sanctioned for Rs. 971.25 crore has been completed 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with total capacity of 208.97 mld constructed under NRCP.
• Central Assistance amounting to Rs. 425 crores released to various State Governments/Agencies for implementation of projects under NRCP.
• Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Guidelines for National River Conservation Plan and DPR Preparation held on 06th May, 2024 in the presence of Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR. The recommendation and suggestions of the stakeholders are under review and accordingly will be proposed in the revised guidelines of NRCP and DPR guidelines.
• First meeting of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) was held on 31.05.2024 under the Chairpersonship of Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR at Nagpur under the project Condition Assessment and Management Plan of Six River Basins (Cauvery, Periyar, Narmada, Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna).
• The project “Assessment of ecological status of 7 rivers viz. Narmada, Mahanadi, Godavari, Cauvery, Periyar, Pamba and Barak for conservation planning” has been entrusted to Wild Life Institute of India (WII) at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 24.56 crore in September, 2020. The project broadly aims to spearhead river conservation in above seven Indian rivers for biodiversity conservation and maintenance of ecosystem services. Intensive ecological studies will be carried out in the seven prioritized river basins of India and ecological status will be assessed. Stake Holders workshops of NRCD- WII held at Bengaluru, Karnataka Cauvery River basin.

 

11. External Affairs & International Cooperation (EA&IC)

 

DoWR, RD & GR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with different countries on cooperation in the field of water resources management and development. For effective implementation of activities under the various signed MoUs, to enhance the collaboration under the MoU, certain activities were undertaken including Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting, the details of which is as follows -

 

1. MoU with Denmark - The MoU between India and Denmark on Cooperation in the field of Water Resources Management was signed on 12.09.2022. Two projects namely “Centre of excellence on Smart Water Resources Management (CoESWaRM)” and “Smart Laboratories on Clean River (SLCR)” have been identified under the MoU. Indian side Joint Working Group was formed on 05.08.2024. First Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting under the MoU was held on 05^th December 2024. In the meeting, it has been agreed to have organizational division at PMU level into two sub-thematic areas under the existing Centre of Excellence (CoE).

 

2. MoU with European Union – The MoU between India and the European Union on Water Cooperation was signed on 01.10.2016. Three JWG meetings have been convened so far.  Third Meeting of JWG was convened on 12.07.2023 virtually. The 6th EU-India Water Forum meeting was held on 18.09.2024 during the 8th India Water Week in New Delhi. The forum inter-alia explored trilateral collaboration between East Africa, India and the EU to address water challenges in regions like Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. 

 

3. MoU with Israel: The MoU between India and Israel on Water Resources Management and Development Cooperation was signed on 11.11.2016. A Joint Review Committee (JRC) (Now Steering Committee) has been formed on 20.02.2024 to assess the activities and progress of the projects identified for implementation under the MoU. 1^st meeting of the JRC was convened on 9th Oct 2024 recommending the proposal for the "Establishment of India-Israel Centre of Water Technology (CoWT)".

 

4. MoC with Japan (Water Resources): The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan in the area of Water Resources was signed on 11.12.2019. Two meetings of Joint Working Group (JWG) have been convened so far. 2nd JWG meeting was held on 14.11.2024. In the meeting both sides agreed for extension of the MoU and to identifying additional areas for collaboration.

 

5. MoU with Morocco- The MoU between India and Morocco on cooperation in the field of Water Resources was signed on 14.12.2017. Four JWG meetings have been convened so far. Fourth JWG meeting was convened on 20.09.2024. It was agreed upon that both the countries will share their experiences, analysis, findings, policies and developments in the field of water resources in its next meeting of JWG.

 

Bilateral Meetings of Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti with the Ministers of Foreign Nations during India Water Week 2024 in New Delhi: -

 

• Denmark: Mr. C.R. Paatil, Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti met with H.E. Mr. Morten Bødskov, Denmark's Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs. Denmark’s Minister reaffirmed Denmark's commitment to sustainable water solutions and highlighted the expertise of Danish companies in water management. The Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti proposed collaborative initiatives to develop scalable technologies for water challenges, suggesting pilot projects at the district level.
• Guyana: A significant meeting took place between Mr. C. R. Paatil, Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti and Mr. Collin D. Croal, Hon’ble Minister of Housing & Water, Guyana. It was agreed upon that both the countries will share their experiences, policies and developments in the field of water resources
• Tanzania: Mr. C. R. Paatil, Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti, India met with Mr. Mathew Andrea Kundo, Deputy Minister of Water, Tanzania. The Tanzanian Minister proposed discussions on a new project to transport water from Lake Victoria, estimated at $600 million, to address water challenges in Tanzania. Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti assured that this proposal would be deliberated upon in the Ministry positively.
• Zimbabwe: A productive meeting took place between Mr. C. R. Paatil, Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti and Mr. Vangelis Peter Haritatos, Hon'ble Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s Minister sought innovative financing options beyond traditional avenues such as EXIM etc. Hon’ble Minister for Jal Shakti assured that these matters would be deliberated upon positively, emphasizing that improvements in Zimbabwe's irrigation sector would significantly enhance food security across Africa.

12. Barhmaputra & Barak (B&B) Wing

(i)         INDIA-CHINA COOPERATION

 

Expert Level Mechanism (ELM)

During the visit of the Hon’ble President of the People’s Republic of China to India on November 20-23, 2006, it was agreed to set up an Expert-Level Mechanism to discuss interaction and cooperation on provision of flood season hydrological data, emergency management and other issues regarding trans-border Rivers as agreed between them. Accordingly, the two sides have set up the Joint Expert Level Mechanism through a Joint Declaration by both the countries.

The ELM meetings are held alternately in India and China every year. Fifteen meetings of ELM have been held so far. The 15^th meeting of ELM was held at Beijing, China during 13^th-14^th August 2024. The GoI delegation was led by Shri S.K. Sinha, Commissioner (B&B), DoWR, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Chinese delegation was led by Mr. Hao Zhao, Director General of the International Economic & Technical Cooperation and Exchange Centre, Ministry of Water Resources, People’s Republic of China.  Representatives of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Central Water Commission (CWC) had also participated in the meeting.

(ii)        INDIA-BHUTAN COOPERATION

1. 1. Joint Group of Expert (JGE) on Flood Management:

A Joint Group of Expert (JGE) on Flood Management has been constituted between India and Bhutan to discuss and assess the probable causes and effects of the recurring floods and erosion in the southern foothills of Bhutan and adjoining plains in India and recommend to both Governments appropriate and mutually acceptable remedial measures. Ten meetings of JGE have been held so far. The 10^th meeting was held during 28^th-29^th February, 2024 at New Delhi, India. The GoI delegation was led by Shri S. K. Sinha, Commissioner (B&B), Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD& GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI and the RGoB delegation was led by Mr. Karma Dupchu, Director, National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), RGoB.

1. 2. Joint Technical Team (JTT) on Flood Management:

In accordance with the decision taken during the first meeting of JGE, a Joint Technical Team (JTT) on Flood Management between the two countries was constituted. The purpose of JTT is to assess the field situation and provide technical support to JGE on flood management. Eight meetings of JTT have been held so far. The 8^th meeting of JTT was held during 18^th–20^th November, 2024 at Chalsa, Jalpaigudi, West Bengal. The Indian delegation was led by Shri G.L. Bansal, Chief Engineer, Brahmaputra Basin Organisation (BBO), Central Water Commission, GoI and the Bhutanese delegation was led by Dr. SingayDorji, Chief of Meteorological Services Division (MSD), National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology, RGoB.

1. 3. Joint Experts Team (JET) on Flood Forecasting:

A Joint Experts Team (JET) consisting of senior officials from the Government of India and Royal Government of Bhutan(RGoB) continuously reviews the progress and other requirements of a network of 36 hydro-meteorological sites located in the catchments of trans-border rivers Puthimari, Pagladiya, Sankosh, Manas, Raidak, Torsa, Aie and Jaldhaka. So far, JET has met 38 times alternately in India and Bhutan since its reconstitution in 1992 and the last JET meeting i.e. 38^th meeting was held at Mandarmani, West Bengal, India during 10^th-11^th December, 2024.

The Indian delegation was led by Shri Subhrangshu Biswas, Chief Engineer, Teesta&Bagarathi-Damodar Basin Organisation (T&BDBO), Central Water Commission, GoI and the Bhutanese delegation was led by Mr. Karma Dupchu, Director, National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), RGoB.

13.     NERIWALM

The North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, continued its vital contributions to water and land management across North East India in 2024. As the only institute of its kind in the region, it upheld its mandate of capacity building and skill enhancementfor efficient management of water and land resources for irrigation and agriculture.

During the year (January to December, 2024), the institute organized 76 training programmes, reaching 3,173 beneficiaries. Among these were induction-level courses for newly recruited engineers from the Irrigation and Agriculture Departments of Assam, as well as the Brahmaputra Board. A faculty development program on advancements in agriculture and water management was also conducted. NERIWALM collaborated with leading national institutions and agencies to host a two-day National Seminar on Advances in Irrigation Technologies and Management, fostering knowledge exchange and innovation.

In research and development, the institute undertook a diverse range of projects sponsored by state and central government departments. Key initiatives included the preparation of State-Specific Action Plans for 19 states, evaluations of PMKSY-AIBP and PMKSY-HKKP irrigation projects in Assam and Meghalaya, research project on farmer participation in irrigation management in Manipur, studies on good water management practices and study on the impact of climate change on dam-related hydro-geomorphic and social aspects in Arunachal Pradesh.

NERIWALM’s academic program also progressed with the enrollment of 15 students in the M.Tech course on Water Resource Management for the 2024-25 session. The institute further strengthened its credentials by developing e-learning modules on water resource management for the i-GOT platform. NERIWALM was accredited as “EXCELLENT” under the Capacity Building Commission’s National Standards, while its Soil and Water Laboratory achieved NABL accreditation.

14.       NATIONAL HYDROLOGY PROJECT
 

National Hydrology Project (NHP), with support from the World Bank, envisages establishing a system for timely and reliable water resources data acquisition, storage, collation and management. It has pan-India coverage with 48 Implementing Agencies (IAs) {12 from Central Government (including 3 from River Basin Organisations) and 36 from States/ UTs}. It will also provide tools and systems for informed decision making for water resources assessment, planning and management. The National Hydrology Project has been approved with an outlay of Rs. 3,679.77 Crore as a Central Sector Scheme with 100% grant to State Governments and Central Implementing Agencies. The project originally had a duration of 8 years from 2016-17 to 2023-24. However, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has accorded approval for extension of project till Sept-2025 within the same allocation.

Broad objectives of NHP include: a) To improve the extent, quality, and accessibility of water resources information; b) To create decision support system for floods and basin level resource assessment/planning; and c) To strengthen the capacity of targeted water resources professionals and institutions in India.

Under the ongoing NHP, almost 22960 Real Time Data Acquisition System (RTDAS) surface water and ground water stations have already been installed in the country. Besides, 46 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) packages have been commissioned; almost 5667 piezometers constructed; 134 stationary as well as mobile water quality labs have been developed/procured/maintained and put into operation;
high-resolution DEMs, CORS network as well as Geoid model have also been developed. Furthermore, Bathymetric surveys of 464 important reservoirs of the country covering 162 BCM have also been taken up under NHP of which 373 studies have already been completed. Further 36 State Data Centres / Regional data centres / knowledge centres, etc. have been completed under the ongoing NHP. The need for development & maintenance of appropriate institutional framework both at the Central as well as State level for water resources information system intended for collection, collation and dissemination of the database was given shape in the ongoing NHP. As envisaged in the Cabinet note, the National Water Resources Informatics Centre (NWIC) has been created in 2018 and is now functional. Additionally, the formation of the State Water Informatics Centres for development of respective State Water Resources Information Systems was expedited in the ongoing NHP. Till date almost 19 SWICs have already been formed with a few more under process. The information system covering hydro-meteorological, hydro-geological, sedimentation, morphological and water quality data is also important in the context of various studies being done under NHP which
include IT Applications, Digital Products, geospatial hydro products, etc.

 

15.     Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) scheme

 

Under the Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) scheme, since 12th plan onwards, 7282 schemes are ongoing with an estimated cost of ₹ 16113.560 crores. Central Assistance (CA) of Rs. 9009.169 crores have been released to states up-to March, 2024. Further, 4965 schemes have been reported to be completed up-to March, 2024. Target irrigation potential creation of these schemes is 11.58 L Ha and out of this, 8.59 L Ha is reported to be created till March, 2024.

 

16.     Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies scheme

 

Under the Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies scheme, since 12th plan onwards, 3075schemes are ongoing with an estimated cost of Rs. 2834.692 crore. Central Assistance (CA) of Rs. 554.279Crore has been released to states up to March, 2024. Further, 2192 water bodies have been reported to be completed up to March, 2024. Target irrigation potential restoration of these schemes is 2.41 L Ha and out of this, 2.00 L Ha is reported to be restored till March, 2024

17.       5^th National Water Awards:

Hon’ble President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, conferred the 5^th National Water Awards, 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 38 winners, including joint winners across 09 categories were awarded for their exemplary work in the field of water conservation and management. Each award winner was conferred with a citation and a trophy as well as cash prizes in certain categories. Details of winners are available on https://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/

 

18.       Mass Communication Internship programme

 

DoWR, RD & GR undertook internship programme in mass communication on during 2024.  Students pursuing Degrees or are Research Scholars enrolled in recognized University/Institution in the field of Mass Communication in India are given opportunity to apply as "interns". The Internship Programme provided short term exposure to “selected candidates” to be associated with the Department’s work related to media/social media activities. The objectives of the programme are to well acquaint the "Interns" with the working of the Department in field of media/social media related activities etc. and simultaneously the “interns” to supplement the process of mass publicity of this Department to create awareness about importance of development and management of water resources in holistic manner.

 

03 interns were selected for an initial period of 6 months under the program.

*****

Dhanya Sanal K

Director

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