Implementation of National Water Policy by eastern states of India—A review and analysis

Abstract

AbstractThe mainstay of this study is to highlight the implementation of recommendations of the National Water Policy (NWP) of India. All the policy documents advocate the adoption of a volumetric system of water pricing, the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach, and the creation of River Basin Organizations (RBOs). IWRM needs to be redefined, reconsidered, and recalibrated and should be explicit. Except for Odisha, no state has constituted the RBOs. The reasons for nonformation of RBO are public resistance, not understanding the basic principle of RBO, and limitation and lack of expertise to handle large river basin organization activities. Revenue collection records are very poor except Odisha. Water pricing was not revised frequently and no water pricing regulatory body had been constituted as per the recommendation of NWP, 2012, by all the eastern states. Odisha has formulated a water policy in line with NWP and has implemented it well. All the north‐eastern states have adopted their own water policy recently but have not implemented effectively. The existing system of assessment based on crop‐wise irrigated areas must be rationalized and simplified. The revenue collection system needs mechanization. The revenue collection needs to be increased in all the eastern states.