Centre to hold conference of State water resources secretaries on July 13
New Delhi, July 12 (TNT): The Ministry of Jal Shakti will convene the All-India Conference of senior-most Secretaries of Water Resources Departments of States and Union Territories in New Delhi on July 13 to review key national programmes and strengthen Centre-State coordination in the water resources sector.
Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil will chair the conference, while Minister of State Raj Bhushan Choudhary and Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, V.L. Kantha Rao, will co-chair the meeting.
Senior officials from the Water Resources Departments of all States and Union Territories, along with representatives of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Central Water Commission, National Dam Safety Authority, National Water Mission and other organisations, are expected to participate.
The conference will deliberate on eight priority issues, including the status of the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme, the month-long nationwide #CatchTheRain campaign, revised project appraisal guidelines for irrigation and flood management projects, implementation of dam reservoir rule curves, the State Water Reforms Framework, completion of Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, progress of irrigation censuses and a framework for Model State Water Awards.
The meeting will also provide a platform for States and Union Territories to share best practices, discuss implementation challenges and evolve coordinated strategies for improving water resources management, dam safety, irrigation and community participation in water conservation.
The conference is part of the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen policy coordination, institutional capacity and sustainable management of water resources across the country.
TNT KS
