The Central Water Commission’s (CWC) Annual Report for the year 2013-14 provides an in-depth look into the various activities and achievements in the development and management of India’s water resources. This article highlights the key takeaways, significant data points, project implementations, budget allocations, utilization, and an assessment of the pros and cons of the report.

Key Takeaways

• The CWC has been instrumental in providing technical assistance and leadership in water resource management.
• Significant progress in the areas of flood management, hydrological observations, and project appraisals.
• Continued efforts in international cooperation and bilateral treaties concerning water sharing with neighboring countries.
• Extensive involvement in monitoring and appraising major and medium irrigation projects.

Highlighted Data

• Geographical Area: 328.7 million hectares
• Population (2011): 1210.19 million
• Annual Rainfall (2010): 3989.25 BCM
• Mean Annual Natural Run-Off: 1869 BCM
• Utilizable Surface Water Potential: 690 BCM
• Total Replenishable Ground Water Resources: 431 BCM
• Ultimate Irrigation Potential: 140 million hectares

Project Implementations

• Design Consultancy: Provided for 77 water resource development projects in India and neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Nepal.
• Techno-Economic Appraisal: Conducted for 36 projects including 13 major, 4 medium irrigation projects, and 19 flood control projects.
• Flood Management: Issued 7060 flood forecasts during the monsoon period of 2013 with an accuracy rate of 95.75%.

Budget Allocation and Utilization

• Total Budget Allocated: Detailed figures not provided in the summary but significant allocations mentioned for specific programs.
• Utilization:
  • Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP): Rs. 1539.421 crore for 32 major and medium irrigation projects.
  • Flood Management Programme: Rs. 4412.595 crore allocated for 97 projects.

Projects Delayed

• Development of Water Resources Information System (WRIS): Initial completion target was December 2012; however, final version (ver 4.0) launched in March 2014.
• Flood Forecasting Stations Installation: Work on 125 new stations was still in progress as of the report’s publication.

Pros and Cons of the Report

Pros:

• Comprehensive coverage of water resource management activities.
• Detailed appraisal and monitoring reports for numerous projects.
• High accuracy in flood forecasting aiding effective flood management.
• Significant international cooperation and bilateral treaties enhancing water resource management.

Cons:

• Delays in project completions and implementations.
• Need for more timely updates on budget utilization and project statuses.
• Some data points and figures not fully detailed or explained, requiring additional context for a complete understanding.