Centre Convenes High-Level Meet to Fast-Track Water Projects

Secretary Kantha Rao reviewed the overall progress and assured states of full support in resolving bottlenecks and strengthening cooperative federalism in the water sector.

The Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti convened a high-level Regional Conference of State Water Secretaries in New Delhi to strengthen Centre-state coordination and accelerate implementation of key water resource projects.

The conference was chaired by Secretary Shri V. L. Kantha Rao and brought together senior officials — including Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries — from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.

Review of Major Water Schemes

The primary focus of the meeting was a comprehensive review of ongoing schemes of DoWR, RD & GR in participating states, alongside the work of its technical organisations, including:

• Central Water Commission (CWC)• Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)• National Water Development Agency (NWDA)• National Institute of Hydrology (NIH)• National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)• National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC)

States were encouraged to better utilise the technical expertise and advisory capabilities of these bodies to enhance project efficiency and compliance.

Key Policy and Regulatory Focus Areas

The conference also reviewed progress on adoption and implementation of key advisories and legislative provisions, including:

• Flood Plain Zoning guidelines• National Framework on Sediment Management• Implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021• Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari 2.0• Regulation and control of groundwater extraction

Officials discussed the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms and greater public participation in water conservation efforts.

Push for Digital Governance in Water Management

A major highlight of the conference was the emphasis on transitioning toward digital governance in water management.

Discussions covered:

• SCADA-based real-time monitoring systems• API-based data sharing for flood forecasting and alerts• Expansion of the Flood Watch mobile application for field-level officials

The move toward digital tools aims to improve transparency, predictive capability and disaster response coordination, particularly in flood-prone regions.

States Flag Concerns, Seek Support

State representatives made detailed presentations outlining progress in implementing central schemes, while also highlighting pending approvals, funding challenges and technical expectations from the Union government.

Secretary Kantha Rao reviewed the overall progress and assured states of full support in resolving bottlenecks and strengthening cooperative federalism in the water sector.

Call for Integrated Water Resource Strategy

The conference concluded with a call for a symbiotic and collaborative relationship between the Centre and states to formulate and execute integrated strategies for sustainable water resource development.

Officials reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to providing technical, financial and institutional support to ensure effective planning, conservation, flood management and groundwater regulation across the country.

The meeting underscored the government’s focus on combining policy reform, digital innovation and cooperative federalism to address India’s growing water security challenges.