Jal Shakti Ministry to hold key conference with states on water sector reforms on Monday

New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The Ministry of Jal Shakti will hold a conference of senior water resources secretaries from states and Union Territories on Monday to review key water sector initiatives and strengthen Centre-state coordination on reforms and implementation. The conference, to be convened by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan here, aims to review the progress of the ministry's major national programmes and discuss priority initiatives in the water resources sector. Key issues on the agenda include the modernisation of the Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme, the nationwide 'Catch the Rain' campaign, revised project appraisal guidelines, dam safety and state water reforms. Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil will chair the conference. Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary and Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, V L Kantha Rao, will co-chair it, according to an official statement. The conference will be attended by senior officials from the water resources departments of all states and Union Territories, as well as the Ministry of Jal Shakti, including its organisations, attached and subordinate offices such as the Central Water Commission, National Dam Safety Authority and National Water Mission. Discussions will focus on eight priority agenda items, including the status of the modernisation of the Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme and the special one-month nationwide 'Catch the Rain' campaign aimed at strengthening people's participation in water conservation. Other issues on the agenda include 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, the status of the state water reforms framework, completion of comprehensive dam safety evaluation under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 by December 2026, progress of irrigation censuses in states and Union Territories, and a framework for model state water awards. According to the ministry, the conference will also provide an opportunity for states and Union Territories to share experiences, discuss implementation challenges and evolve coordinated strategies to accelerate reforms in the water sector. The deliberations are expected to facilitate the timely implementation of the ministry's ongoing programmes. The conference forms part of the Ministry of Jal Shakti's continued efforts to enhance sustainable water resources management through improved policy coordination, institutional strengthening, efficient project implementation, enhanced dam safety and greater community participation in water conservation, it said. PTI ADI NB NB