National Rainfed Area Authority Workshop on Watershed Technology
The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), serving as knowledge partner to the Department of Land Resources, organized a brainstorming workshop on "Satellite and Drone-based Survey for Watershed Planning & Monitoring" in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The workshop was conducted under the World Bank-assisted REWARD programme (Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development).
Dr. Susama Sudhishri, Technical Expert (Watershed Development) and Project In-charge for REWARD at NRAA, welcomed participants and highlighted the workshop's purpose. The event was graced by Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of NRAA, Government of India, who emphasized that the National Technical Guidelines should provide clear guidance on appropriate use of satellite-based and drone-based surveys for watershed planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation across different regions.
Senior officials from multiple states and central departments participated in the deliberations, including Dr. Joga Ram, IAS, Secretary and Commissioner Panchayati Raj of Rajasthan Government; Sh. YVK Shanmukh Kumar, IFS, Director of Watersheds from Andhra Pradesh; Mrs. Kalpana Agarwal, Director of WD&SC, Rajasthan; Dr. S. Bandyopadhyay, Director of MNCFC, MOA&FW, New Delhi; and Ms. Sushila Yadav, Chief Engineer & JS (Soil & Conservation) from Government of Maharashtra. Representatives from other states, national institutes, government departments, industries, and NGOs also attended.
The workshop aimed to deliberate on the latest advancements and practical applications of satellite and drone technologies for watershed development. A key objective was to obtain expert guidance for incorporating standardized methodologies into the National Technical Guideline, which will serve as an input to WDC-PMKSY 3.0 (Watershed Development Component - Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana 3.0).