The "All India Water Secretaries’ Conference" was organised today by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi. The Conference was chaired by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, in the presence of Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary. Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR, Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, and Senior Secretaries from all the States and Union Territories participated in the Conference. The conference saw the participation of around 200 senior officials from both the Centre and the States.

During the conference, discussions were held on eight priority agenda items covering:

• Status of the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) Scheme;
• Special One-Month Nationwide #CatchTheRain Campaign for strengthening people's participation in water conservation;
• Revised Draft Project Appraisal Guidelines for irrigation, multipurpose and flood management projects;
• Rule Curves of Dam Reservoirs and their effective implementation for improved reservoir operations and dam safety;
• Status of the State Water Reforms Framework (SWRF);
• Completion of Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation (CDSE) under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 by December 2026;
• Progress of Irrigation Censuses in States and Union Territories; and
• Framework for Model State Water Awards

In the opening remarks, Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR, Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, welcomed all dignitaries and introduced them to the 8 Agenda points for the Conference. He highlighted key initiatives of the Ministry and stressed the need for cooperative federalism.

Addressing the Conference, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, stated that water is the foundation of India's economic growth, food security, environmental sustainability and the well-being of every citizen. Highlighting the challenges posed by climate change, groundwater depletion and rapid urbanisation, he called for scientific, efficient and sustainable water resources management.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti called upon all States and Union Territories to make the Catch the Rain 2026 campaign a true people's movement by accelerating rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, restoration of traditional water bodies, desilting of ponds, plantation drives and public awareness activities. Referring to the Prime Minister's appeal during Mann Ki Baat on 28 June 2026, the Minister urged States to ensure that all water conservation activities undertaken during the campaign are promptly uploaded on the JSJB: Catch the Rain 2026 Portal for effective monitoring and public participation.

Highlighting the importance of efficient irrigation management, the Minister emphasised the need for the timely implementation of projects under the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CAD) Scheme. He urged States to expedite tendering, issuance of work orders, formation of Water User Associations, and on-ground execution of projects to improve irrigation efficiency, enhance water-use efficiency, and increase farmers' incomes. The Minister also stated that the Ministry is streamlining project appraisal procedures for irrigation, multipurpose, and flood management projects through simplified, time-bound guidelines to facilitate faster approvals, improved DPR quality, and better infrastructure development.

The Minister highlighted the progress made under the State Water Reforms Framework, launched in May 2026 to encourage reforms in water governance, digitisation, project monitoring and citizen participation. He informed that all 36 States and Union Territories have nominated their Nodal Officers under the framework and encouraged them to actively utilise the platform for benchmarking reforms and sharing best practices. He also noted the ongoing implementation of the 7th Minor Irrigation Census, the 2nd Water Bodies Census, the 1st Major and Medium Irrigation Project Census, and the 1st Springs Census, which will strengthen evidence-based planning and policy-making in the water sector.

The Minister reiterated the Ministry's commitment to the effective implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, and informed that the target is to complete the Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation of all specified dams by December 2026 and requested the states to do the needful.

The Minister released three important documents:" City-level Action Plan for Reuse of Treated Water for Varanasi" - A Framework: Roadmap for safe reuse of treated wastewater and promoting Circular Water Economy; O&M Manual for Artificial Recharge and Ground Water Conservation Structures": Jointly developed by National Water Mission and Central Ground Water Board; "Schedule of Rates (SoR) for Drilling and Allied Works" - A Manual: Prepared by CGWB for transparency and standardisation.

The conference concluded with a resolve for time-bound implementation to achieve “Jal Surakshit, Bharat Surakshit”.

Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR, Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, thanked all States for their active participation.

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ND/HM