Workshop on Technology for Efficient Water Management Organised

As part of the Sujalam Bharat Summit, the Central Water Commission (CWC), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised a virtual workshop on the theme of “Technology for Efficient Water Management”. The summit is being organised to gather feedback on the implementation and impact of national and state-level policies from the field.

The workshop featured presentations from selected states and grassroots-level workers, including gram panchayat and Water User Association members, from Leh to Tamil Nadu, as well as from remote villages in Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha, and from organisations such as NRSC, Hyderabad.

The workshop was chaired by Mr Atul Jain, Chairman of CWC, along with key speakers, including Shri. Yogesh Paithankar, Member (WP&P), CWC, and Ms Archana Verma, AS & Mission Director, National Water Mission (NWM) and attended by State Nodal Officers from States/UTs, sector experts, and representatives from different sectors related to water management.

In her opening remarks, Ms Archana Varma, ASMD-NWM, set the context of the meeting, emphasising that six sectoral thematic conferences are being convened under the guidance of the Prime Minister to elicit grassroots-level inputs for shaping national and state-level policies. She emphasised that contributions from all stakeholders are crucial for the adoption and implementation of effective water management technologies.

Mr Yogesh Paithankar, Member (WP&P), CWC, in his context-setting presentation, highlighted the implementation of strategies for water demand management to reduce stress on freshwater resources. The workshop addressed this key strategy by focusing on the promotion and scaling of technologies for efficient water management. Key aspects of this theme included:

• Agricultural Efficiency: Scaling up technologies like micro-irrigation systems in canal and groundwater-irrigated areas, and improving on-farm water efficiency. The Central Water Commission is also promoting precision agriculture to enhance climate resilience and encourage crop diversification towards drought-resistant and low-water-intensive crops.
• Modernisation and Automation: Central Water Commission is prioritising the modernisation of tertiary canal distribution systems and promoting the use of Remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in water management. This includes applications in water resources planning, enhancing conveyance efficiency, optimising distribution, detecting leaks, and monitoring water quantity and quality across agricultural, domestic, and industrial sectors.
• Water Conservation and Accounting: The theme also covered the promotion of water-efficient appliances for homes and industries, monitoring bulk water supply, and reducing non-beneficial water losses. A key focus is on water accounting to enable informed decision-making on water allocation and the conservation of soil moisture (green water) in agriculture.

The workshop featured detailed presentations from Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and NRSC Hyderabad. The presentation showcased innovative models and community-led approaches. These ranged from efficient technologies for water management to panchayat-led initiatives, reflecting diverse experiences across the country.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Atul Jain, Chairman of the Central Water Commission, reminded the group that water management was not just about building infrastructure or implementing new gadgets. He emphasised that the ‘Technology for Efficient Water Management’ initiative is a holistic approach aimed at ensuring water security for the nation.