National Water Policy

News: In order to meet the present challenges in water sector, The Jal Shakti Ministry has finalised a committee to draft a new National Water Policy (NWP).

Facts:

About the Committee:

• It will be chaired by Mihir Shah, who is a former Planning Commission member and a water expert.
• The committee has 10 principal members. The committee is expected to produce a report within six months.

About National Water Policy 2012

• It puts emphasis on the need for a national water framework law, comprehensive legislation for optimum development of inter-State rivers and river valleys, amendment of Irrigation Acts, Indian Easements Act, 1882, etc.
• It recommended setting up of Water Regulatory Authority.
• It put forward the concept of an Integrated Water Resources Management approach that took the “river basin/ sub-basin” as a unit for planning, development and management of water resources.
• It also proposed that a portion of river flows ought to be kept aside to meet ecological needs.
• It also stressed for a minimum quantity of potable water for essential health and hygiene to all its citizens to be made available within easy reach of households.

Additional Information

Jal Shakti Abhiyan

• The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a collaborative effort of various Ministries of the Government of India and State Governments. It is coordinated by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jal Shakti Ministry
• It is a time-bound, mission mode, water conservation and irrigation efficiency campaign for water security in India.  It was launched by Ministry of Jal Shakti in July 2019
• The theme of the campaign is Sanchay Jal, Behtar Kal.
• It aims at making water conservation and promotion of irrigation efficiency a ‘jan andolan’ (public campaign) through asset creation and communication campaigns in rural India. It is being implemented in 255 water stressed districts.
• 255 officers have been appointed as ‘central prabhari officers’. They have been made in-charge of the chosen districts to plan ways to conserve water.
• The intervention areas in Rural areas include:

• Water conservation and rainwater harvesting,
• Renovation of traditional water bodies,
• Renovation of bore well recharge structures,
• Watershed development and
• Intensive afforestation.
• For urban areas the interventions include:
  • In urban areas, plans/approvals with time bound targets to be developed for wastewater reuse for industrial and agricultural purposes and groundwater recharge

The Phase–I was implemented from 1st July, 2019 to 30th September, 2019 across the country. Phase–II is being implemented from 1st October, 2019 to 30th November, 2019 in the Southern States which receive retreating monsoon.