Research and Development in Water Resources

by - Sanjay Kumar, Media & Communications Officer, PIB, New Delhi

Three organizations of the Ministry of Water Resources - Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS) and National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) are fully devoted to research and development in the water sector. CWPRS is the premier national institute for research in the area of hydraulics of water resources structures related to irrigation, hydropower, navigation, coastal works and related instrumentation.

CSMRS is involved in research related to construction materials, concrete technology, geophysics, rock mechanics, soil mechanics and rock fill testing technology. NIH is devoted to systematic and scientific studies in all aspects of hydrology with the objective of improving the present practices in planning, design and operation of water resources projects.

Promotion of Research in Water Sector

The Ministry provides financial assistance by way of grants to academicians/experts in the Universities, IITs, recognized research and development laboratories/institutes, Water Resources/Irrigation Departments of the Central and State Governments in the country and NGOs for carrying out research and studies related to water resources sector. Research proposals of applied nature as well as basic research are considered for financial assistance.

Research and Development Division under the Policy and Planning Wing of the Ministry coordinates the programme for providing financial assistance for research and development. Considering the wide range of topics covered under water resources engineering, five Indian National Committees (INCs) namely INCH (Hydraulics), INCOH (Hydrology), INCID (Irrigation and Drainage), INCGE (Geo-Technical Engineering) and INCCMS (Construction Materials & Structures) have been constituted to provide necessary technical and advisory support for the implementation of R&D Programme. The Members of these Committees are drawn from various Central and State government Agencies as well as experts from academic and research organizations.

Indian National Committee On Hydraulic Research (INCH)

The Indian National Committee on Hydraulic Research was constituted in the year 1990, and is the apex body in hydraulics with the responsibility of co-coordinating various research activities in the field of management of floods, hydraulic structures, river and estuarine hydraulics, river morphology, ground water hydraulics, instrumentation for seismic and geophysical measurements, open channel flow, pipe flow, hydraulic machinery, city water supply and ports and harbours. During the year 2007-08, 21 research schemes were under implementation.

Indian National Committee On Hydrology (INCOH)
Indian National Committee on Hydrology (INCOH) was constituted in the year 1982 and is located atNIH Roorkee. It is the apex body looking after hydrology, both surface and ground water with the responsibility of co-coordinating various research activities in the field of meteorology, surface water hydrology, evaporation control ground water hydrology and management, instrumentation, real time systems, application of GIS and remote sensing.
In pursuance of its objectives, the Committee has brought out 26 state-of-art reports in hydrology in the country. The Committee has also provided financial support for organizing seminars, conferences etc., for dissemination of knowledge and promoting education and training in hydrology.

The Committee is participating in the activities of International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by organizing regional courses and workshops.

During the year 2007-08, 35 research schemes were under implementation, out of which three research schemes have been completed. The Research and Development session of INCOH was held in September, 2007 at Udaipur.

Indian National Committee On Irrigation And Drainage (INCID)
Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID) was constituted in the year 1990, the apex body in irrigation and drainage with the responsibility of co-coordinating various research activities in the field of irrigation, drainage, agronomy, water management, environmental impact and socio-economic aspect of water resources projects, plastic culture development, geo-textiles. This is working as National Committee for the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID).

INCID contributes to various ICID meetings/workshops/conferences and to other international technical publications in the form of manuals, reports, bulletins, seminar proceedings etc., during the year 2007-08, 38 research schemes were under implementation out of which five schemes have been completed. The research and development session of INCID was held in February 2008 at Hyderabad.

Indian National Committee on Geo-technical Engineering (INCGE)
Indian National Committee on Geo-technical Engineering (INCGE) was constituted in the year 1991, the apex body in geo-technical engineering with the responsibility of co-coordinating various research activities in the field of rock mechanics and tunneling technology, soil mechanics and foundation engineering and instrumentation and measurement techniques. Its secretariat is located at CSMRS, New Delhi. During the year 2007-08, 38 research schemes were under implementation under the supervision of INCGE. Out of this two schemes has been completed. The research and development session of INCGE was held in February 2008 at New Delhi. In pursuance of its objectives, the Committee has published three state-of-art reports in geo-technical engineering in the country.

Indian National Committee on Construction Materials and Structures (INCCMS)
Indian National Committee on Construction Materials and Structure (INCCMS) was constituted in the year 1992, the apex body in construction materials and structures with the responsibility of co-coordinating various research activities in the field of management of construction materials, concrete technology and structures. Like INCGE, its secretariat is also located in CSMRS, New Delhi.

During the year 2007-08, 11 research schemes were under implementation under the supervision of INCCMS out of which two schemes have been completed. The research and development session of INCCMS was held in February 2008 at New Delhi.
Status Of Research And Development Schemes

275 research schemes have been sanctioned by various academic and research institutions of the Ministry since 1992. Out of which 157 schemes have been successfully competed, six schemes foreclosed and 112 schemes are under progress in various academic and research institutions. About 15 new research proposals are under consideration for funding under the research and development programme.

Study Regarding Gaps In Irrigation Potential Created And Utilized
The Ministry has awarded a study to examine the various issues related to the gap between irrigation potential created and utilized and for suggesting measures for reducing the gap in the country to four Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), namely IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Lucknow and IIM Calcutta. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)for the study was signed between the IIMs and the Ministry of Water Resources in August, 2007. The study is scheduled to be completed shortly.

New Activities Proposed During XI Plan
With a view to addressing the research problems in proper perspective, the State Government institutions such as engineering/irrigation research institutions, water and land management institutes are being actively involved in efficiency studies for completed Major and Medium irrigation projects and effect of climate change on water resources. They are being actively involved in studies in respect of vulnerability assessment and adaptation and reservoir sedimentation studies, post-facto evaluation and management plan for optimal benefit from the resources and initiation of benchmarking of irrigation projects for performance improvement.

Water Quality Assessment Authority (WQAA)
The Water Quality Assessment Authority (WQAA) was constituted in May 2001 with the powers and functions to improve the quality of national water resources has been continued during the XI Plan period (2007-12). The Authority is headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests as the Chairman and the Commissioner (B&B), Ministry of Water Resources as the Member Secretary. The Authority has 12 Members.

Water woes - promoting integrated water resources management

Water is a prime requirement for all aspects of life. It is imperative to make certain that adequate supplies of water of good quality are maintained for all the needs of the entire population of this planet while preserving the hydrological, biological and chemical functions of ecosystems, adapting human activities within the capacity limits of nature and combating vectors of water-related diseases. Innovative technologies, including improvements in the indigenous technologies, are needed to fully utilize the limited water resources and to safeguard them against pollution.

The fast growing population, rapid urbanization and industrialization, coupled with spatial and temporal variations in water availability, water quality problems, etc. demand an integrated approach to water resources planning and management.

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is based on the perception of water as an integral part of the ecosystem, a natural resource and a pivot for socio-economic development, whose quantity and quality determine the nature of its utilization. To this end, water resources have to be protected, taking into account the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and the Perenniality of the resource, in order to satisfy and reconcile needs for water in human activities. In developing and using water resources, priority has to be given to the satisfaction of basic needs and the safeguarding of ecosystems.

The holistic management of freshwater as a finite and vulnerable resource and the integration of sectoral water plans and programmes within the framework of national policy are of paramount importance for action. Therefore, effective implementation and coordination mechanisms are required to remove impediments for promoting integrated water management.

Integrated water resources management, including the integration of land and water related aspects, should be carried out at the level of the basin or sub-basin. Four principal objectives to be pursued are as follows:

• To promote a dynamic, interactive and multisectoral approach to water resources management, including the identification and protection of potential sources of freshwater supply that integrates technological, socio-economic environmental, ecological and human health considerations.

• To plan for the sustainable development and rational utilization, protection, conservation and management of water resources based on community needs and priorities within the framework of national water policy.

• To design, implement and evaluate projects and programmes that are socially appropriate and economically efficient within clearly defined strategies based on a participatory approach.

• To strengthen or develop as required the appropriate institutional, legal and financial mechanisms to ensure that water policy and its implementation are a catalyst for sustainable social progress and economic growth.


In a nutshell, the centrality of sustainable management of water resources encompassing ecological, economic and ethical sustainability therefore hinges on a holistic and integrated approach involving engineering, socio-economic and environmental aspects. All the problems need to be looked at in their totality.

Development of hydropower, lowering of ground water table and devastations faced by people due to floods have to be examined in an integrated manner. Similarly, traditional system of water management through ponds and small tanks should be integrated with canal and pumped ground water irrigation. An integrated approach would minimize the conflicts among the multiplicity of agencies working in the water sector, each having different goals, motivation and dynamics.

The rationale of the future strategy is to meet the challenges in such a manner that development is sustained and the growth process does not disturb the delicately balanced environmental and ecological equilibrium which are predominantly water centric. Therefore, project-centric development that was aggressively pursued during the early plan periods for catering to specific needs should be replaced by IWRM that is better suited under the present circumstances for optimizing the water resources allocation among competing multi-sectoral water demand/uses. It is evident that suitably prioritizing the water demand from the socio-economic environmental point of view and simultaneously maintaining harmony among the different users, be it sectors or regions, should form the core of any long term vision that is being formulated for the water resources development and management.
*Inputs from the Ministry of Water Resources