Chapter 1 An Overview RAHIMAN PAANI RAAKHIYE, BIN PAANI SAB SOON, PAANI GAYE NA OOBERE, MOTI, MANUS, CHOON Poet Rahim says, learn to preserve water, as without water, nobody lives, nothing survive. Without water, Pearl does not attain lustre, Man does not retain vigour, Lime does not gain effervescence. Our country is endowed with a rich and vast diversity of natural resources, water being the most precious of them. Water security, water management and its development is of immense importance in all walks of human life and also for all living beings. Integrated water management is essential for environmental sustenance, sustainable economic development of the country and for bettering human life through poverty reduction. The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India, is responsible for conservation, management and development of water as a national resource; overall national perspective of water planning and coordination in relation to diverse uses of water; general policy, technical assistance, research and development, training and matters relating to irrigation and multi-purpose projects, ground water management; conjunctive use of surface and ground water, command area development, flood management including drainage, flood-proofing, water logging, sea erosion and dam safety. The Ministry has also been allocated the subject of regulation and development of inter-State rivers, implementation of awards of Tribunals, water quality assessment, bilateral and external assistance and co-operation programmes in the field of water resources and matters relating to rivers common to India and neighbouring countries. The above-mentioned functions of the Ministry are performed through its two attached offices (Central Water Commission and Central Soil and Materials Research Station), seven sub- ordinate offices (Central Ground Water Board, Central Water and Power Research Station, Ganga Flood Control Commission, Farakka Barrage Project, Sardar Sarovar Construction Advisory Committee, Banasagar Control Board and Upper Yamuna River Board), six statutory bodies (Brahmaputra Board, Narmada Control Authority, Betwa River Board, Tungabhadra Board, Godavari River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board), four autonomous societies/body (National Water Development Agency, National Institute of Hydrology, North-Eastern Regional Institute of Water & Land Management) and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA); and two public sector enterprises (WAPCOS Limited and National Projects Construction Corporation Limited ). The Ministry is headed by Hon’ble Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation - Sushri Uma Bharti. Hon’ble Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Minister-in- charge till 25th May, 2014. Sushri Uma Bharti took over the charge of the Ministry on 26th May, 2014. Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar was Minister of State (MOS) for Water Resources, River 1 Development and Ganga Rejuvenation from 26th May to 8th November, 2014. Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat took over the charge of MOS of the Ministry on 9th November, 2014. Shri Alok Rawat was Secretary till 20th October, 2014. Shri Anuj Kumar Bishnoi is Secretary of the Ministry w.e.f. 21st October, 2014. Dr. Amarjit Singh is Additional Secretary in the Ministry w.e.f. 30th April, 2014. The organisational chart of the Ministry is at Annexure-I. The staff strength of the Ministry is at Annexure-II. A list of Heads of Organizations under the Ministry is at Annexure-III. There are at present twelve wings in the Ministry, namely, Administration, State Projects, Finance, Policy & Planning, Brahmaputra & Barak, Ganga, Indus, Peninsular River, Data Base Management, Economic, National Water Mission and National Ganga River Basin Authority. Major Initiatives National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) The Union Budget 2014-15 provided for setting up an Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission namely “Namami Gange” with an allocation of Rs. 2037 crore (Rs 1500 crore for Namami Gange and Rs. 355 crore for on-going NGRBA projects, 100 crore for project in the tributaries including river Yamuna and Rs. 82 crore for National River Conservation Programme) for FY 2014-15. The work of rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries has been transferred with effect from 01.08.2014 to the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. “Namami Gange” approaches Ganga Rejuvenation by consolidating the existing ongoing efforts. A comprehensive action plan for future has been finalised by the NGRBA in its 4th meeting (1st meeting after reconstitution of NGRBA, notified on 29th September, 2014) held on 27th October, 2014 based on the recommendations made by the Group of Secretaries (GoS) on 28th August, 2014 consisting of seven thrust areas and 21 action points. The EFC proposal for ‘Namami Gange’ was appraised by the EFC chaired by the Secretary (Expenditure) on 30.12.2014 and was recommended for an indicative cost of Rs. 20,000 crore. ‘Namami Gange’ would also be covering river Yamuna as a major tributary of river Ganga. The JICA assisted Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) Phase - III project for Delhi was approved in December, 2011 at an approved cost of Rs. 1656.00 crore. Three project components costing Rs. 705.06 crore are under process for expenditure sanction, which are likely to be accorded approval in FY 2014-15. The Project is proposed to be completed by December, 2018. The Cabinet note based on the EFC approval on the proposal for ‘Namami Gange’ is likely to be approved by the Government during the current financial year, which is primarily based on the Action Plan for Ganga Rejuvenation formulated as a result of the recommendations of Group of Secretaries and other inputs including the Ganga River Basin Management Plan of the Consortium of IITs. The thrust areas for the rejuvenation of Ganga and its tributaries are: ensuring Aviral Dhara; Nirmal Dhara; Protection and beautification of river front and development of Public amenities; Inter-ministerial coordination, State’s participation and capacity building; research and monitoring; conservation of plants and aquatic species; and people’s participation and creating awareness. 2 Special Committee on “Inter-linking of Rivers” The Ministry of Water Resources, RD and GR has constituted a committee, named Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) on 23rd September, 2014. The first meeting of the Special Committee, chaired by Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Union Minister (WR, RD & GR) was held on 17th October, 2014 in New Delhi. State Irrigation Ministers from Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana and Principal Secretaries / Secretaries of Irrigation/Water Resources Department of various States attended the meeting. It was decided to constitute four specific sub- committees; (i) Sub-committee for comprehensive evaluation of various studies/reports (ii) Sub- committee for system studies for identifications of most appropriate alternate plan, (iii) Sub- committee for consensus building through negotiations and arriving at agreement between concerned States and (iv) Sub-committee for restructuring of National Water Development Agency. The second meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-linking of Rivers (ILR), chaired by Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Union Minister (WR, RD & GR) was held on 6th January, 2015 at New Delhi. State Irrigation/Water Resources Ministers from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Principal Secretaries / Secretaries of Irrigation/Water Resources Department of various States and other members attended the meeting. Jal Manthan A three-day conference ‘Jal Manthan’ to address various issues related to water resources was organized from 20-22 November, 2014 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Union Minister for WR, RD and GR, Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for WR, RD and GR, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways, Shri Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh, Shri R.L. Pegu, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of Assam, Shri M.B. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of Karnataka, Shri P.J. Joseph, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of Kerala, Shri Brijmohan Agrawal, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of Chhattisgarh, Shri O.P. Dhamkar, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of Haryana, Shri Rajib Banerjee, Hon’ble Minister for Irrigation, Government of West Bengal and other dignitaries participated in the discussions and highlighted their views. Hon’ble Union Minister for Water Resources, RD & GR, reiterated the present NDA Government’s commitment and resolve to implement the Inter-linking of Rivers Programme in fast track mode. India Water Week-2015 India Water Week-2015 with the theme “Water Management for Sustainable Development” was successfully organised during 13-17 January, 2015. The Conference was inaugurated by Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Minister of WR, RD and GR, Government of India on 13th January, 2015 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi and was attended by about 1450 national and international delegates. A multi-disciplinary conference and a concurrently running exhibition enriching the theme and showcasing the technologies and solutions available for the areas under deliberation of the meet were organised at Pragati Maidan during 14-17 January, 2015. 3 Achievements under State Sector and Central Sector Schemes The Ministry is implementing and monitoring 4 State Sector and 15 Central Sector Schemes.