New Delhi, February 19 The Centre reviewed the implementation of key water resource schemes in nine states at a high-level meeting chaired by Water Resources Secretary V L Kantha Rao, with emphasis on strengthening coordination and expediting pending projects.
The regional conference of state water secretaries was organized by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi.
Senior central government officials and secretaries from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal participated in the meeting, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said in a statement.
The conference reviewed the water resources department in the participating states.
The work of organizations under the department, including the Central Water Commission (CWC), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), National Water Development Agency (NWDA), National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC), were also discussed.
The conference also reviewed the status of adoption of advisories on flood plain zoning, the national framework on sediment management, implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari 2.0 and regulation and control of groundwater extraction.
Emphasis was also placed on digital governance in water management, including SCADA-based real-time monitoring, API-based data sharing for flood alerts, and the expansion of the Flood Watch mobile application for field officials, the statement said.
State officials made presentations on the progress of schemes, highlighted pending issues, and outlined their expectations from the Centre. Rao assured full support in resolving pending matters and strengthening coordination for the effective implementation of various schemes.
The conference concluded with a call for a symbiotic relationship between the Centre and states in formulating and executing integrated strategies for sustainable and effective development of water resources in the country, the statement added.