National Water Policies and Missions: National Water Mission, Namami Gange and Related Schemes

Water management in India is a critical policy area due to rising population density, agricultural reliance on monsoon rains, climate change risks, and unequal regional distribution of freshwater resources. India contains nearly 18% of the world’s population but possesses only 4% of global renewable water resources and 2.4% of the world’s land area. To address these structural constraints, the Government of India has instituted national policies, dedicated river rejuvenation programs, and target-oriented water security schemes.

Evolution of National Water Policy Frameworks

National Water Policy (NWP) Overview

The first National Water Policy was adopted in 1987, followed by major revisions in 2002 and 2012. The National Water Policy of 2012 shifted focus from supply-side expansion to demand management, ecological flow, and equitable distribution.

• Key Principles of NWP 2012: Declares safe drinking water and sanitation as a basic human right. It prioritizes water allocation for drinking and domestic needs, followed by agriculture, hydropower, ecology, and industrial processes.
• Pricing and Tariff Structure: Recommends setting water tariffs based on volumetric consumption to reflect economic cost and discourage wasteful usage.
• Institutional Reforms: Recommends establishing an autonomous Water Regulatory Authority in each state to determine tariffs and regulate allocations.
• Climate Adaptation: Encourages micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and recycled wastewater usage in urban centers to build climate resilience.

Mihir Shah Committee Recommendations (2016)

The Ministry of Water Resources constituted a committee led by Dr. Mihir Shah to recommend structural reforms in water governance. The committee advocated restructuring the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) into a unified body called the National Water Commission (NWC). It recommended moving away from constructing mega-dams toward localized watershed development, aquifer mapping, and river basin management.

National Water Mission (NWM)

Scope and Strategic Objectives

The National Water Mission operates as one of the eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), executed by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Its central aim is the conservation of water, minimizing wastage, and ensuring equitable distribution across states through integrated water resources management.

Core Goals of the Mission

• Goal I: Comprehensive water database in the public domain and assessment of the impact of climate change on water resources.
• Goal II: Promotion of citizen and state actions for water conservation, augmentation, and preservation.
• Goal III: Focused attention to vulnerable areas, including over-exploited blocks, drought-prone zones, and coastal areas.
• Goal IV: Increasing water use efficiency by 20% across industrial, agricultural, and domestic sectors.
• Goal V: Promotion of basin-level integrated water resources management.

Key Initiatives Under NWM

• Catch the Rain Campaign: Launched with the tag line “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls,” this campaign urges state governments and local authorities to create rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS) suitable to sub-soil strata before the onset of the monsoon.
• Sahi Fasal Campaign: Designed to nudge farmers in water-stressed regions away from water-intensive crops (like paddy and sugarcane) toward crops that consume less water, such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds.
• Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE): Established under NWM to regulate and promote efficient water usage across irrigation projects, industrial plants, and municipal distribution networks.

Namami Gange Programme and River Rejuvenation

Operational Framework of Namami Gange

Launched in June 2014 as an Integrated Conservation Mission with a total budgetary outlay of ₹20,000 crore, Namami Gange operates under the National Ganga Council (which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority in 2016). The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) acts as the implementation arm at the national level, supported by State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).

Core Pillars of Implementation

• Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure: Construction and modernization of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) along the main stem of the Ganga river and its tributaries using Hybrid Annuity Models (HAM) and One-City-One-Operator approaches.
• River-Front Development: Upgradation and construction of ghats and crematoria to reduce direct pollution inputs.
• River-Surface Cleaning: Deployment of trash skimmers to collect floating waste along major urban river stretches.
• Bio-Diversity Conservation: Preservation and restoration of endemic aquatic species, including the Gangetic Dolphin, Smooth-Coated Otter, Gharial, and native species of Mahseer fish.
• Afforestation: Massive tree planting along the banks of the river to reduce soil erosion and enhance groundwater recharge.
• Industrial Effluent Monitoring: Regulation of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) through real-time online effluent monitoring systems.

Major National Water Schemes

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Launched on August 15, 2019, under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, JJM aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTC) to every rural household in India.

• Target: Delivery of 55 liters per capita per day (lpcd) of prescribed quality drinking water on a regular basis.
• Governance Model: Utilizes a community-led approach where Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis (Village Water and Sanitation Committees) plan, implement, manage, operate, and maintain in-village water supply infrastructure.
• Har Ghar Jal: Certification provided to states and union territories after 100% of rural households receive tap water access. Goa became the first state to achieve Har Ghar Jal certification.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL)

Launched in December 2019, Atal Bhujal Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme funded 50% by the World Bank and 50% by the Government of India, running across 8,220 water-stressed Gram Panchayats in seven states: Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

• Primary Objective: Participatory groundwater management through community involvement and institutional strengthening.
• Mechanism: Encourages local communities to prepare Water Security Plans (WSPs), install water meters, calculate local water budgets, and transition toward micro-irrigation methods.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

Formulated in 2015 by merging the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM), PMKSY aims to extend irrigation coverage and improve water usage efficiency in agriculture under the motto “Har Khet Ko Pani”.

• Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): Focuses on micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation to maximize water productivity.
• Watershed Development Component: Managed by the Department of Land Resources to focus on soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, and runoff management in rainfed areas.

Key Feature Matrix of Major National Water Schemes

Important Facts for Quick Revision

• Water is primarily a State subject under Entry 17 of the State List (List II) in the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, while Regulation and development of inter-state rivers falls under Entry 56 of the Union List (List I).
• Article 262 of the Constitution authorizes Parliament to adjudicate disputes relating to the waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti was created in May 2019 by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation with the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• India’s first National Water Policy was adopted in September 1987.
• The National Water Mission is one of the 8 original missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• Goa was the first state in India to achieve 100% “Har Ghar Jal” certification under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• The Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is designated as the National Aquatic Animal of India and serves as a key indicator species for the Namami Gange programme.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana receives 50% financial assistance as a loan from the World Bank.
• Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh was declared the first “certified Har Ghar Jal” district in India.
• The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) operates under the Ministry of Jal Shakti as the apex national body for groundwater monitoring, assessment, and management.