The Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti will convene the All-India Conference of Senior Most Secretaries of Water Resources Departments of States and Union Territories on July 13, 2026 at Chanakya Hall, Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C R Patil will chair the conference, with Minister of State Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary and Secretary Shri V.L. Kantha Rao co-chairing.
The conference aims to strengthen Centre-State coordination on priority initiatives in the Water Resources Sector and review progress of major national programmes. Participants include senior officials from all States and Union Territories' Water Resources Departments, as well as Ministry of Jal Shakti organizations including Central Water Commission (CWC), National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), and National Water Mission (NWM).
Eight priority agenda items will be discussed: Status of the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) Scheme; Special One-Month Nationwide #CatchTheRain Campaign for strengthening people's participation in water conservation; Revised Draft Project Appraisal Guidelines for irrigation, multipurpose and flood management projects; Rule Curves of Dam Reservoirs and their effective implementation for improved reservoir operations and dam safety; Status of the State Water Reforms Framework (SWRF); Completion of Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation (CDSE) under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 by December 2026; Progress of Irrigation Censuses in States and Union Territories; and Framework for Model State Water Awards.
The conference will facilitate experience sharing, discussion of implementation challenges, and development of coordinated strategies to accelerate water sector reforms. It forms part of the Ministry's continued efforts to enhance sustainable water resources management through improved policy coordination, institutional strengthening, efficient project implementation, enhanced dam safety, and greater community participation in water conservation.