No.L30012/3/2017-PP
भारतसरकार
Government of India
जल संसाधन, नदी विकास एिं गंगा संरक्षण मंत्रालय
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation
नीवत एिं योजना अनुभाग Policy and Planning Division
Shram Shakti Bhawan,
Rafi Marg, New Delhi
Dated:
February, 2017
Office Memorandum
Sub: Minutes of the meeting on Blueprint for Water Accounting in India held
on February 15, 2017 - reg
….
A meeting was held on Blueprint for Water Accounting in India under the
Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR on February 15, 2017. I am directed to
forward the minutes of this meeting for kind information and necessary action.
The concerned CWC / MoWR, RD & GR / NIH Officers (mentioned in part- III
“Next Steps” of the minutes) may kindly initiate necessary action urgently.
(S.K. Sharma)
Senior Joint Commissioner (PP)
Tel.#23719503
E-mail:[email protected]
To
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Central Water Commission
Member (RM), Central Water Commission, SewaBhavan, R.K. Puram, New
Delhi
Sh. Naresh Kumar, CE (BPMO), Central Water Commission, SewaBhavan,
R.K. Puram, New Delhi
Sh. R K Pachauri, CE (EMO), Central Water Commission, SewaBhavan, R.K.
Puram, New Delhi
Sh. YogeshPaithankar, Director (Remote Sensing) Central Water
Commission, SewaBhavan, R.K.Puram, New Delhi
Dr R N Sankhua, Director (BP), Central Water Commission, SewaBhavan,
R.K. Puram, New Delhi
Sh. Rajesh Kumar, Director (RDC), Central Water Commission, SewaBhavan,
R.K Puram, New Delhi
Sh. Alok Pal Kalsi, Deputy Director, (RS) Central Water Commission,
SewaBhavan, R.K. Puram, New Delhi
8.
Ministry of WR, RD & GR
Sh. N.K. Manglik, Director, National Hydrology Project, Ministry of Water
Resources, CGO Complex,
Lodi Road, New Delhi
9.
Central Ground Water Board
Sh. S K Sinha, Scientist F, Central Ground Water Board, BhujalBhavan,
Faridabad (Haryana).
P.T.O.
National institute of hydrology, Roorkee
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Sh. Sharad Jain, Scientist 'G' and Head, Water Resources Systems Division,
National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee.
Other Participants / Eminent Experts
Ms.PriyaNarula, Engineer, CII Triveni, (by e-mail)
Mr.KeesBons,Expert IWRM, Deltares (by e-mail)
Mr.HenrietteFaergemann, Counselor, Environment, Energy and Climate
Change, European Commission (by e-mail)
Ms.Marta Moren-Abat, Water Expert Responsible for India in the EU
Commission, European Union. (by e-mail)
Mr.Guido Schmidt, Water Expert, EU/ 2030 Water Resources Group (by email)
Mr.Carlos Benitez, Water Expert, EU/ 2030 Water Resources Group (by email)
Mr.NitinBassi, Water Expert, EU/ 2030 Water Resources Group (by e-mail)
Mr.BastiaanMohrmann, Co-Head, Asia and Middle East, 2030 Water
Resources Group (by e-mail)
Ms.RochiKhemka, Regional Coordinator, Asia, 2030 Water Resources Group
(by e-mail)
Ms.SwapnaPatil, Senior Assistant Director, FICCI Water Mission.
Ms.Martina Burkard, Lead EU-GIZ Delegated Action IEWP, GIZ (by email)
Mr.Satya Narayan Ghosh, Technical Expert, Support to Ganga Rejuvenation,
GIZ (by email)
Mr.ZsoltPakozdy, Senior Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Hungarian
Embassy (by e-mail)
Ms.Nuria Hernandez-Mora, Senior Water Policy Researcher and Consultant,
IEWP (by email)
Ms. Birgit Vogel, Water Expert, IEWP (by email)
Prof. B.S. Murthy, Professor, Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering,
IIT Madras
Prof. N.K. Goel, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee.
Dr.VeenaKhanduri, Executive Secretary, India Water Partnership (by email.)
Ms.Maya Acharya,
Senior Policy Advisor, Economic and Commercial
Section, Netherlands Embassy (by email.)
Copy for information to:1. PPS to Secretary (WR, RD & GR)
2. PPS to Chairman, CWC
3. PPS to Chairman, CGWB
4. PS to JS(PP)
Minutes of Meeting
Blueprint for Water Accounting in India
February 15, 2017, 9:30 – 11:30 am
Conference Room, Ministry of Labour, Shram Shakti Bhavan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001
I.
List of Participants:
II.
Summary of Discussion:
As per Annex I

Key Policy Questions: For the national-level water accounting framework in India, key
policy focus areas include:
i. Enhancement of water use efficiency, particularly in agriculture
ii. Improvements in water quality
iii. Minimization of impacts on the environment, including augmentation of e-flows
o
Key Indicators: Learning from the experience of the EU, the key indicators presented as
relevant for India include: (a) Water Consumption Index; (b) Consumption Ratios; (c)
Water Productivity Index; (d) Cost Recovery Ratios; and (e) Water Quality Index. In
addition, climate change trends and scenarios are proposed to be modelled for impacts
on water resources availability. Assessment of needed e-flows and water availability for
freshwater ecosystems is an additional crucial consideration for India’s water resources
framework. Necessary measures for medium-term planning on this topic should be
undertaken.
o
Translation of Data into Policy Implications: While there is a vast repository of data
captured through the India WRIS system, there is a need to sharpen the messaging and
policy implications from the data, particularly to facilitate decision-making at the levels
of:
 Prime Minister’s Office
 Ministry of Water Resources (Minister, Secretary)
 State Leadership (Chief Minister, Chief Secretary)
In this regard, the WRIS system is proposed to be made more user-friendly, using
dashboards, with easy-to-use interfaces providing data on water quality by cities, time
series trends, and tabulation of cities breaching Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
norms, in addition to data on water resources availability, consumption trends and
efficiencies.
o
Data Validation and Transparency: Data validation is proposed to be conducted
monthly with necessary quality checks in the system and made available to users in an
open and transparent manner.
o
Phase-Wise Approach: There is a need to adopt a phase-wise approach to the
development of a water accounting system for India, covering the following steps:
i.
ii.
iii.
o
Development of water quality indices, building upon existing data from CPCB and
state-level officials
Development of first-level water consumption and efficiency ratios from available
data, to be expanded with full-fledged indicators over time
Development of metrics to consider e-flows and environmental considerations in
policy making
Governance: In order to operationalize the water accounting system, a twin
organizational approach is required:
P.T.O.
i.
ii.
III.
Project Management Unit/ Cell: A permanent cell should be established for
strategy development, analysis, data gathering & management, and stakeholder
involvement. This should include a minimum of 5-6 individuals, with necessary
external technical experts.
Advisory Group: An independent, multi-stakeholder Advisory Group comprising
practitioners, academics, and state-level officials should be formed to provide
support to the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation, on long-term water resources management and policy making.
Next Steps:
1. Water Quality: The following water quality indicators will be developed through existing data:
o Dashboard of cities meeting/ falling short of CPCB norms, requiring immediate
action through prioritization of investments
o Details on data availability/ validation and identified gaps (with associated
coordinates of relevant officers)
o Time series data on water quality for different towns for key quality parameters
A task force comprised of the following individuals will report first results within one month:
o N.K. Manglik, Director, National Hydrology Project, MOWR (Convener)
o Birgit Vogel, Water Expert, EU
o YogeshPaithankar, Director, CWC
o Rajesh Kumar Director, RD, CWC
o Dr.VeenaKhanduri, India Water Partnership
o Netherlands expert (to be identified through the Embassy)
o Vijay Kumar, Technology Program Manager, Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd
2. Water Efficiency Indicators: Connections with scientific institutions and development agencies
needs to be established over a longer time frame on the development of water consumption
and water efficiency indicators. Task force to comprise:
o Sharad Jain, National Institute of Hydrology (Convener)
o Prof. B.S. Murthy, Professor, Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering, IIT Madras
o Prof. N.K. Goel, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
o KeesBons, Expert, Water Resources Management
o Satya Narayan Ghosh, Technical Expert, Support to Ganga Rejuvenation, GIZ
3. Cost Recovery Ratios: Feasibility and level of granularity on cost recovery ratios should be
analysed based on existing data. Initial task force to include:
o YogeshPaithankar, Director, Remote Sensing, Central Water Commission
o Nuria Hernandez-Mora, Water Expert, India-EU Water Partnership
4. PMU/ Cell and Advisory Group: 2030 Water Resources Group will support the development of
Terms of Reference and the institutional architecture for mainstreaming water accounting and a
water resources framework within the Ministry of Water Resources, with adequate multistakeholder support.
Meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the chair.
Annex I – List of Participants (in alphabetical order)1
Chair
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Organization
Ministry of Water Resources
Central Water Commission
Central Water Commission
Central Water Commission
Central Water Commission
Central Water Commission
Central Water Commission
CII Triveni
Deltares
Name of Individual
Dr. Amarjit Singh
YogeshPaithankar
Narendra Kumar
Naresh Kumar
R K Pachauri
Dr R N Sankhua
Rajesh Kumar
PriyaNarula
KeesBons
9
EU
HenrietteFaergemann
10
11
12
EU/ 2030WRG
EU/ 2030WRG
EU/ 2030WRG
Guido Schmidt
Carlos Benitez
NitinBassi
13
European Commission
Marta Moren-Abat
14
15
FICCI Water Mission
GIZ
SwapnaPatil
Martina Burkard
16
GIZ
Satya Narayan Ghosh
17
Hungarian Embassy
ZsoltPakozdy
18
IEWP
Nuria Hernandez-Mora
19
IEWP
Birgit Vogel
20
IIT Madras
Prof. B.S. Murthy
21
22
23
IIT Roorkee
India Water Partnership
Ministry of Water Resources
Prof. N.K. Goel
Dr. VeenaKhanduri
N.K. Manglik
24
National Institute of Hydrology
Sharad Jain
25
Netherlands Embassy
Maya Acharya
26
27
28
29
2030 Water Resources Group
2030 Water Resources Group
CGWB
CWC
BastiaanMohrmann
RochiKhemka
S K Sinha
Alok Pal Kalsi
1
Title
Secretary
Director, Remote Sensing
Member, RM
CE (BPMO)
CE (EMO)
Director BP
Director RDC
Engineer
Expert, IWRM
Counselor, Environment, Energy and
Climate Change
Water Expert
Water Expert
Water Expert
Water Expert Responsible for India in
the EU Commission
Senior Assistant Director
Lead EU-GIZ Delegated Action IEWP
Technical Expert, Support to Ganga
Rejuvenation
Senior Economic and Commercial
Counsellor
Senior Water Policy Researcher and
Consultant
Water Expert
Professor,
Hydraulic
and
Water
Resources Engineering
Department of Hydrology
Executive Secretary
Director, National Hydrology Project
Scientist 'G' and Head, Water Resources
Systems Division
Senior Policy Advisor, Economic and
Commercial Section
Co-Head, Asia and Middle East
Regional Coordinator, Asia
Scientist F
Deputy Director, RS
The workshop included the participation of various other officials from Central Water Commission and Central
Ground Water Board, not included here.