Water Policies in India

The National Water Policy (NWP) of India was first formulated in 1987 and revised in 2002, which lays down the principles, objectives and strategies for the development, management and regulation of water resources in the country. The policy aims to ensure water security, equitable distribution of water and its efficient use. It also emphasizes the need for integrated water resources management, community participation, and promotion of traditional water systems.

Water Policies Before Independence

Before Independence, water policies in India can be classified as:

Water Policies during Colonial Period

The British government made the decision that all further irrigation projects would be built by the states through their own agencies and financed by public loans. In light of the current water problem and the states staking out monopolies, this choice was much ahead of its time. The policies of the British era were more concerned with the commercial than the social.

The Government of India Act 1935

The act gave the states jurisdiction over irrigation instead of the union government. This had significant implications because the central only became involved in disputes between adjacent provinces.

Water Policies After Independence

The irrigation facility in India saw development throughout the period of planned development. People's needs were recognized, and the required actions were taken to address them. Large infrastructure initiatives for water development and storage were aided by this. Before 1987, there was no comprehensive water policy; only a few flood management policy directives existed.

The country's overarching organization for water management was established in the 1980s. The National Water Resource Council (NWRC) was chaired by India's Prime Minister. The council completed a thorough declaration of numerous policy concerns in 1987 while taking the states' opinions into consideration.

A chronology of events in the evolution of the government's water policies in India is given below:

The First National Water Policy

The first national water policy was established in 1987, followed by a cantina of policies pertaining to India's various water sources:

The National Water Policy, 2002

The National Policy on Water of 1987 has been replaced by the National Water Policy of 2002. The integration of integrated water resource management was the primary modification (IWRM). Management of the river basin was highlighted. In response to the numerous new challenges that have surfaced since the policy's development in 1987, it has been reviewed and revised. According to NPW 2002, water is a component of a broader ecosystem, and because of the value and scarcity of fresh water, it must be recognized as a need for the survival of life.

Salient Features

The salient features of NSW policy are −

• It understands that water is a limited and valuable natural resource that must be managed.

• The strategy calls for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to project planning, formulation, clearance, and execution, including the formation of command areas and the rehabilitation of individuals.

• According to the policy, both the central government and the state governments are responsible for mitigating the negative environmental effects of ground water extraction.

• The policy discusses the coordination of the national water policy's execution.

• The policy considers the industries that discharge waste into streams, rivers, and other bodies of water and states that effluents should be treated to reduce pollutants before being released into the main streams and that a minimum flow should be guaranteed to maintain the ecology while taking social factors into account.

• It calls for making every effort to create programs that would enable tribal people and socially disadvantaged groups in society have access to water.

State Water Policies

India's several states each have their own water regulations. These regulations are a similar to the National Water Policy, and in many cases they transform it into a state-specific approach. States with water policies that lean more toward the equity principle and take into account the participation role of people's groups or community-based control over water resources include Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.

Legal Framework for Water in India

The six primary acts at the national and state levels represent the current legal, institutional, and decision-making framework for water law in India at both the central and state levels. The following national laws apply to water:

In the central government's administrative structure, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry serves as the nodal body for planning, promotion, and coordination as well as for directing the execution of environmental laws, programs, and regulatory duties including environmental clearance.

Likewise, the government of India has also introduced policies to encourage rainwater harvesting, which is the collection, storage and reuse of rainwater for irrigation, domestic and industrial use. This is done by constructing rainwater harvesting structures such as rooftop rainwater harvesting systems and recharge wells.

In addition, the government of India is promoting the use of renewable energy sources for water management, such as solar energy for pumping water, desalination of seawater and treatment of wastewater. This is being done to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Conclusion

Water policies in India aim to ensure the sustainable development and management of water resources in the country. The government of India has implemented several policies and laws to address water-related issues, such as the National Water Policy, the National River Conservation Plan, and the National Water Mission. These policies and plans focus on issues such as water supply, irrigation, flood control, and river conservation. Additionally, the government has also introduced policies to encourage rainwater harvesting and the use of renewable energy sources for water management.

Likewise, we can say that India's water policies and plans are aimed at ensuring the sustainable development and management of water resources in the country, and to address the increasing water demands of a growing population and economy.

FAQs

Q1. What does the National River Conservation Plan, 1995 define?

Ans. The National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) was launched in 1995, to improve water quality in polluted stretches of rivers and to develop and protect riverfronts and river ecology. Under this plan, projects are implemented to clean up and rejuvenate the polluted stretches of rivers, lakes and other water bodies in the country.

Q2. What is the National Water Mission?

Ans. The National Water Mission (NWM) is one of the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, which was launched in 2010. The mission aims to ensure the conservation, development and management of water resources in the country. It focuses on issues such as rainwater harvesting, water conservation, and demand management.