The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), as Knowledge Partner of the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, organized the Second National Level Consultation Meeting on the draft National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for Improved Watershed Management under the World Bank-assisted Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) Programme. The meeting was held on 17–18 June 2026 at the NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi, with participation from approximately 100 experts and practitioners.
Shri Narendra Bhooshan, Secretary of the Department of Land Resources, launched a short film titled "Meri Mitti, Mera Farz" on the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. The Secretary emphasized that watershed management should be driven by science, community participation, and administrative simplicity, with focus on farmers and local watershed institutions. He outlined national goals including development of rainfed areas, improving agricultural productivity, enhancing cropping intensity, strengthening water security and groundwater recharge, building climate resilience, and ensuring repair and maintenance of watershed assets.
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, CEO of NRAA, emphasized integration of enabled applications with chatbots, technology-driven monitoring and evaluation systems, development of robust Decision Support Systems (DSS), and national web portal systems. The Joint Secretary (WM) of DoLR suggested deliberations on drone technology for high-resolution imagery, adoption of Land Resource Inventory (LRI) and Hydrology-Lite approaches, and reforming institutional implementation mechanisms.
The consultation aimed to incorporate expert inputs for strengthening watershed planning, implementation, monitoring, and sustainability across the country. Technical sessions covered key thematic areas including Land Resource Inventory (LRI), Hydrology, Decision Support Systems (DSS), Technology-enabled Monitoring and Evaluation, Community Engagement and Social Mobilization, Livelihood Promotion, Watershed Sustainability, and Remote Sensing and GIS-based Web Portal Development.
Participants included representatives from the Department of Land Resources, National Rainfed Area Authority, World Bank, REWARD States (Karnataka and Odisha), NRAA's Consortium Partners, NABARD, ICAR institutions, and other national and international organizations. The deliberations are expected to contribute significantly toward improving watershed governance and enhancing climate resilience in rainfed areas.