Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation works with
three-pronged objectives to ensure effective use of Water Resources,
inclusiveness and sustainability. So far the following interventions have been
made:
- Out of a
total irrigable area of 140 M.Ha., irrigation potential of 112.8 M.Ha. has
been created. Out of this 88 M.Ha. is currently being utilised.
- 20.5
M.Ha. of Command Area has been developed through the CAD-WM Scheme of
MoWR.
- During
XI Plan, 2100 Water Bodies restored with irrigation potential of 0.92 lakh
hectare.
- The
proposals for inter-linking of 16 links under Himalayan component and 14
links under Peninsular component are under consideration.
The Ministry
of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is focusing on the
programmes, which have a direct bearing on the life of the common people of the
country.
Inter-Linking
of Rivers
§
The
work relating to Inter Linking of Rivers is in operation since 1982. Renewed
thrust to Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILR) has been imparted. In 2014,
first ILR project of Ken-Betwa has been initiated. The Ken – Betwa link
project would have a dam on river Ken along with 221 Km Link Canal, provide
annual irrigation to 6.35 Lakh Hectare, supply drinking water to 13.42 lakh
people and generate 78 MW hydropower in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
§
A
Special Committee on ILR, under the chairpersonship of Union Minister (WR) has
been constituted, to oversee the work of ILR.
Rejuvenation
of River Ganga
The work of
Ganga Rejuvenation has been transferred to this Ministry vide Gazette
notification dated 1.8.2014. Ganga and its tributaries have been brought under
one umbrella. Rejuvenation of Ganga has been prioritised as “restoration of its
wholesomeness by ensuring ‘aviral dhara’ and ‘nirmal dhara’ as
also its ecological and geological integrity. Following major initiatives have
been taken to rejuvenate Ganga:
§
National
Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) has been expanded by including Minister (WR,
RD and GR) as vice-chairman and also other Ministers concerned with wholesome
development of Ganga.
§
Improved
coordination among various ministries through Group of Secretaries (GoS) setup
on 6.6.2014; The GoS has held 10 meetings and submitted its report on
28.08.2014.
§
The
First National Dialogue i.e ‘Ganga Manthan’ was held on 7th of July
2014; more
than 500 spiritual leaders of all beliefs, academicians & technocrats, NGOs
& Environmentalists, and Policy makers & implementers actively
participated in the deliberations. To facilitate inflow of ideas, suggestions
and involvement of people, a website of NMCG has been launched on 12th
of September 2014.
§
A committee of Additional Secretaries of Mo(WR,
RD&GR) and MoEF&CC constituted to recommend on provisional
environmental flow;
§
A Committee constituted to revise existing guidelines
on sand mining by MoEF&CC;
§
Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun has
been requested to prepare a plan for afforestation and Conservation of Flora
§
In
collaboration with National Medicinal Plants Board a strategy is being
finalized for conservation of medicinal plants in the upper reaches of Ganga.
§
A
project has been undertaken for identification of special properties of Ganga
Jal, water quality monitoring and sediment analysis through National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute.
§
A
three member technical committee comprising Director, NEERI, Secretary CPCB and
Prof. Vinod Tare, IIT, Kanpur constituted to study and recommend suitable
technologies for pollution abatement in river Ganga.
Technology
Upgradation
§
The
management of river water system is being modernised with the use of latest
technology. Hydrology Project-III is being launched with World Bank Assistance
for developing Decision Support System for modernisation of Ganga and
Brahmaputra Basins, as well as other uncovered parts of the country, at a cost
of Rs. 3,000 crore.
§
An
ambitious National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM) has been
launched entailing mapping of aquifers in an area of 8.89 lakh sq. km of the country
on a scale of 1:50,000 and in 3-D. Six pilot projects of Aquifer
mapping have been carried out in five States viz. Rajasthan, Bihar,
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka using advanced techniques including heliborne
Transient Electromagnetic surveys for faster and accurate mapping of
aquifers. This will help in managing Aquifer recharge, river bank filtration
and identification of critically stressed blocks as well as identification of
contaminated blocks.
§
A
World Bank aided project viz. Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP)
is in operation. Under the project, advanced materials and simulation
techniques and guidelines are being brought/evolved in the country to ensure
dam safety.
§
To
empower communities through well informed water related database for better
research, planning, development, management in the area of water resources,
under Development
of Water Resources Information System (DWRIS)-a Web enabled Water Resources
Information System’ named as IndiaWRIS, has been undertaken.
It will add 800 new hydrological observation sites and expand monitoring of
major reservoirs to 120 reservoirs.
International
Cooperation
§
An agreement
has been signed between India and Nepal during the recent visit of Indian Prime
Minister to Nepal paving the way for constitution of Pancheshwar Development
Authority. The Pancheshwar Mutipurpose Project will have an installed capacity
of 5600 MW and will create an irrigation potential of 0.37 MHa (0.24 in Indian
side MHa and 0.13 MHa in Nepal) at a cost of Rs. 29,704 crore (2011 prices). It
will also mitigate floods in the States of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
§
Implementation
Plan with China was revised on June 30, 2014 to receive extended hydrological
information of Yaluzangbu /Brahmaputra rivers from 15th May to 15th
October every year.
§
MoU
with Australia for cooperation in the field of water resources has also been
signed recently.
India
Water Week 2015
§
The
Third edition of India Water Week has been scheduled for policy dialogue,
stakeholder’s consultation and will showcase innovation through exhibition on
“Water Management for Sustainable Development” during 13-17 January, 2015 at
New Delhi.
§
All
aspects relating to water management for sustainable – agriculture, drinking
water supply, urbanisation, industrial and energy development to be discussed.
A large participation of international experts is expected.
§
Australia
and Israel have agreed to be the main partner countries. Besides States of
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Sikkim etc. would be partners
for organising the event. People’s participation through concurrent mass
awareness programme on water conservation with focus on ‘Hamara Jila -
Hamara Jal’ at all district Head quarters will be undertaken.
Future
Directions
§
Nirmal
and
Aviral Ganga
§
Providing
irrigation water to each field through creation of enhanced irrigation projects
§
Conservation
of water bodies and ground water
§
Bridging
the gap between irrigation potential created and utilized
§
Incentivizing
the States to undertake water sector reforms.
§
National
Aquifer Management Programme through community participation
§
Use
of latest technology for modernization of water resources and flood management
§
Active
participation of water users associations (WUAs).
§
Water
Sector Schemes to be rationalized for easier implementation; effective use of
water, inclusiveness and sustainability.
§
Comprehensive
planning for Dam Safety.
***
Samir/jk