Meeting to review key national water programmes, dam safety, irrigation reforms and Centre-State coordination on sustainable water management
TFP Bureau, New Delhi, July 12,2026: The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti will host the All-India Conference of senior-most Secretaries of Water Resources Departments from States and Union Territories on July 13 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi.
The conference will be chaired by Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil. 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 the meeting.
The conference aims to strengthen Centre-State coordination on priority initiatives in the water resources sector while reviewing the progress of major programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Senior officials from Water Resources Departments of all States and Union Territories, along with representatives of the Ministry and its organisations, including the Central Water Commission (CWC), National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and National Water Mission (NWM), will participate.
Deliberations during the conference will focus on eight key agenda items, including the status of the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) Scheme, the nationwide Catch the Rain campaign to enhance public participation in water conservation, revised project appraisal guidelines for irrigation, multipurpose and flood management projects, and the implementation of reservoir rule curves to improve dam operations and safety.
The meeting will also review the progress of the State Water Reforms Framework, implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, completion of Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluations by December 2026, the status of irrigation censuses across States and Union Territories, and the proposed framework for Model State Water Awards.
Officials said the conference will provide a platform for States and Union Territories to exchange best practices, discuss implementation challenges and develop coordinated strategies for accelerating reforms in the water sector. The deliberations are expected to support timely implementation of national water programmes while promoting sustainable water resources management, institutional strengthening, efficient project execution, improved dam safety and greater community participation in water conservation.
