Background

In Uttar Pradesh, water resources are being planned, developed and managed by different departments. Surface water including canal and river is totally managed by Irrigation department including major and medium lift schemes. Beyond outlet, canal water is mainly managed by farmers with little intervention of Command Area Development in some areas. Estimation and exploration of ground water resource is carried out by the Ground Water Department, whereas development of the resource is being done by Irrigation Department, Minor Irrigation Department and U.P. Jal Nigam. Utilization of water is controlled by various departments viz. Agriculture, Urban Development, Rural Development, Power, Industries, Tourism, Environment, Pollution Control, Forests and others.

The State Government after due consideration and assessment of the factual position has created a State Water Board (SWB) under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Government of UP, with Additional Chief Secretary(UttraKhand), Agriculture Production Commissioner, Principal Secretary Irrigation, Principal Secretary Energy, Principal Secretary Finance, Principal Secretary Planning, Principal Secretary Industry, Chief Engineer Irrigation, Managing Director Jal Nigam, Director Ground Water, Nominated member of Central Water Commission, Nominated members of Central Ground Water Board as members and Chief Engineer (Design & Planning) as Member Secretary. The State Water Board is to prepare policy and programmes, establish coordination between various departments/organizations dealing with water management for optimal use of water available in various water sources.

To assist the State Water Board and for strengthening Socially & Environmentally sustainable multi-sectoral water Resource Planning Allocation & Management Capacity, the following State Apex Water Institution have been created in Uttar Pradesh under the water sector reform component of the World Bank funded U.P. Water sector Re-Structuring Project of the Irrigation Department, U.P.

State Water Resources Agency(SWaRA)

State Water Resources Data Analysis Center(SWaRDAC)

U.P. Water Management and Regulatory Commission(UPWaMReC)