1. Emphasis
on the need for a national water framework law, comprehensive legislation for
optimum development of inter-State rivers and river valleys, amendment of
Irrigation Acts, Indian Easements Act, 1882, etc.
2. Water,
after meeting the pre-emptive needs for safe drinking water and sanitation,
achieving food security, supporting poor people dependent on agriculture for
their livelihood and high priority allocation for minimum eco-system needs, be
treated as economic good so as to promote its conservation and efficient use.
3. Ecological
needs of the river should be determined recognizing that river flows are
characterized by low or no flows, small floods (freshets), large floods and
flow variability and should accommodate development needs. A portion of river
flows should be kept aside to meet ecological needs ensuring that the
proportional low and high flow releases correspond in time closely to the
natural flow regime.
4. Adaptation
strategies in view of climate change for designing and management of water
resources structures and review of acceptability criteria has been emphasized.
5. A system
to evolve benchmarks for water uses for different purposes, i.e., water
footprints, and water auditing be developed
to ensure efficient use of water. Project financing has been suggested as a
tool to incentivize efficient & economic use of water.
6. Setting
up of Water Regulatory Authority has been recommended. Incentivization of recycle and re-use has
been recommended.
7. Water
Users Associations should be given statutory powers to collect and retain a
portion of water charges, manage the volumetric quantum of water allotted to
them and maintain the distribution system in their jurisdiction.
8. Removal
of large disparity in stipulations for water supply in urban areas and in rural
areas has been recommended.
9. Water
resources projects and services should be managed with community participation.
Wherever the State Governments or local governing bodies so decide, the private
sector can be encouraged to become a service provider in public private
partnership model to meet agreed terms of service delivery, including penalties
for failure.
10. Adequate
grants to the States to update technology, design practices, planning and
management practices, preparation of annual water balances and accounts for the
site and basin, preparation of hydrologic balances for water systems, and benchmarking
and performance evaluation.
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