The safety of the dams is the primary responsibility of the dam owners, mainly being State Governments. The Dam Safety Act (DSA), 2021, provides for an institutional framework for prevention of dam failure related disaster through proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dams in India. The DSA, 2021 in no way seeks to alter or dilute the States' ownership of specified dams, or their role in day-to-day operation and management of such dams. The provisions of the Act are aimed at strengthening and empowering the States' own dam safety institutional arrangements, with technical and professional inputs from central institutions.
The DSA, 2021 has a provision for the constitution of a National Committee on Dam Safety by the Government of India, consisting of 21 members, which includes seven representatives of the State Governments as Members of the Committee.In parallel to this the States are mandated to constitute State Committee on Dam Safety and State Dam Safety Organization, in which the members are to be nominated by the State Governments concerned.
The water resources projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the concerned State Governments as per their own resources and priority. The Land Acquisition (LA) and Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) works of such projects are also carried out by the concerned State Governments as per the applicable Act, Rules or/and guidelines.

This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written  reply in Lok Sabha today.

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BY/AS