Units of SWaRA(w.r.t Go 179/27-irr.-4/dated 28 April 2004)

The main function of the SWaRA planning unit would be to prepare integrated , multi-sector river basin management plans, prepare an overall State Water plan, allocate water among specific present and future users in each river basin, monitor plan performance, outputs and outcomes (impact) and assess emerging problems and trends to adjust the basin management plan and advise State Water Board and Uttar Pradesh Water Management and Regulatory Commission on required policy and legislative reforms. The implementation of specific water resources development actions (programs and projects) would continue to be the responsibility of the implementing agencies: The planning unit would be organized into three teams:-

• Water Resources Assessment Team- Planning depends in part on a thorough scientific and up to date understanding of the hydrological cycle, water availability (quantity, variability etc.), water quality and related natural resources and ecosystems in each river basin. This team will take the lead in developing this information in collaboration with the specialist in other departments.
• Demand Assessment and Management Team- Balancing supply and demands in the water scarce conditions prevailing in Uttar Pradesh require an entirely new approach to understanding water demand and water demand management. The team will take the lead in assessing water demands and developing policy options, incentives and identifying new technologies that will enable the State to achieve a sustainable balance between water use and water availability.
• Planning Team- This team will take the lead in developing a participatory river basin planning approach, integrating the work of other SWaRA teams into a comprehensive and integrated multi-sectoral team, and in monitoring plan effectiveness and performance.

The unit will begin the design of system of water entitlements for Uttar Pradesh, reviewing experience globally with different systems, identifying and evaluating advantages and disadvantages, and evaluating their likely effectiveness in achieving the State Water Policy objectives. A specific policy note on this issue would be key outcome and recommendation in the SWP. Appropriate legislation would be drafted by this unit to implement the adopted option. This unit will develop the plan of implementation of the new legislation and carry out its provisions.

State Water Resources Data and Analysis Center, SWaRDAC

The main functions of SWaRDAC would be to integrate water and related natural resources data being collected by other agencies into a modern, common and freely accessible information system. In addition it would develop new standards for data collection and reporting where weaknesses and gaps are identified, and facilitate open access to and exchange of data. The SWaRDAC would assist other SWaRA units and teams and other agencies to access and utilize data in part by developing analytical tools (e.g. GIS models) that enables them to use data more effectively. The SWaRDAC would be the primary node in a distributed network of data collectors, information generators, and data and information users. It would facilitate the greatly expanded use of water and related natural resource data in decision making, and promote improved standards and quality of data available to sector policy makers and technical staff.