16 June: Conference of Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries of Irrigation, Water Resources and Command Area Development Departments of States and Union Territories was organized by Ministry of Water Resources here today to facilitate discussion on various issues relating to Water Resources Development & Management.
Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries and other senior officers from States and Union Territories, senior officers of NABARD, National Institute of Rural Development & other Central Govt. Organizations attended the conference.
The issues of Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme, Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies, Irrigation component of Bharat Nirman, PM’s Package of Agrarian Distress Districts, Command Area Development and Water Management Programme, Flood Management, Ground Water Management, Hydrology II Project, Information, Education & Communication, Impact of Climate Change on water resources and Public Private Partnership(PPP), etc. were addressed and discussed and consensus was evolved on many issues for the development and management of water resources sector. State Government’s representatives indicated progress on various programmes and made suggestions.
Conference recognized the need for evolving norms for availing Grant on the recommendations of Thirteenth Finance Commission for upkeep and maintenance of water resources development assets created in States.
States were requested to prepare new projects to avail of funding facility for schemes under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, Flood Management and Anti-erosion works and Command Area Development and Water Management (CAD&WM), etc. There was general request from the States to further relax the norms for inclusion of schemes and assistance under AIBP, RRR of Water Bodies and CAD&WM.
Conference recognized the need for increased emphasis on micro-irrigation and need for training and capacity building for micro-irrigation management. It emphasized the need for preparation of an integrated action plan for ground water recharge in critical blocks/watersheds for improving availability of ground water. Conference impressed upon the need to suitably address the problem of ground water pollution due to agricultural application of pesticides. It emphasized role of Information, Education and Communication in water conservation management.
State Governments were requested to forward nominations for Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar and National Water Award for best practices in water harvesting and ground water recharge for consideration. The awards will be given away in the Second Ground Water Congress to be held in September, 2008 at New Delhi. Conference was informed that some States have taken up schemes under Public Private Partnership mode for water resources development and management.