Chairman Message

The economy of Uttar Pradesh is dominated by agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of the State GDP and 66% of employment. Irrigated agriculture is expected to be the engine of the growth but is constrained by a failing water use efficiency and poor water management. Self sufficiency in food requires increased cropping intensity with substantial diversification to high income crops for which a well functioning, fiscally sustainable Irrigation & Drainage System integrated with appropriate agricultural inputs and technique is a pre-requisite.

    Water use for agriculture cannot be considered in isolation of other uses, which requires an integrated approach for sustainable water resource planning, management and operation in a river basin frame work. Due to competition from increasing demands for agricultural, domestic, power, industrial, environmental and other uses, allocation of water for these purposes in the appropriate quantity is  becoming increasingly difficult.

     Thus, effective institutional coordination, and particularly collaboration, among departments in different sub-sectors which significantly affects the return on and sustainability of the States investment in water supply and Irrigation infrastructure, is the need of the hour. Social & Environmental issues due to inadequate mechanisms and knowledge base for planning, allocation, developing, and managing water resources in each basin is to be taken into account. Legal, regulatory and administrative framework is also required for a financially sustainable water sector.

    To address the above issues, the State of Uttar Pradesh has taken the initiative and constituted the State Water Resources Agency which with the support of SWaRDAC & guidance of Uttar Pradesh Water Management & Regulatory Commission Act 2008 will make all efforts to help the beneficiaries attain maximum productivity of soil, water and crop.

Efforts are being made to share the work of SWaRA through this website for the benefit of the various stakeholders involved in the business of managing water - a crucial element of life.

I would like to invite inputs from the viewers to improve this endeavour.