Date: 2026-06-18Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Second National Level Consultation Meeting on the National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for Improved Watershed Management under the World Bank Assisted Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) Program
**Executive Summary**
The Second National Level Consultation Meeting was held on 17–18 June 2026 in New Delhi to deliberate on the draft National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for the World Bank-assisted REWARD Program. Organized by the NRAA and DoLR, the event focused on integrating science, technology, and community participation to improve watershed management and agricultural resilience. Key objectives include finalizing guidelines that enhance water security, climate resilience, and post-project sustainability across rainfed areas.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Guidelines Development**
* The draft NTG aims to strengthen watershed planning, implementation, and monitoring across India.
* Measures suggested in the guidelines must be scalable and driven by administrative simplicity.
* Core goals include improving agricultural productivity, increasing cropping intensity, and strengthening groundwater recharge.
* **Technological Integration**
* Emphasis on using drone technology for high-resolution imagery to aid in planning.
* Adoption of Land Resource Inventory (LRI) and "Hydrology-Lite" approaches.
* Integration of AI-enabled applications such as chatbots and technology-driven monitoring and evaluation systems.
* Development of robust Decision Support Systems (DSS) and a national GIS-based web portal.
* **Institutional and Community Focus**
* Focus on community engagement, social mobilization, and the involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).
* Emphasis on greater private sector involvement and a data-driven approach to watershed management.
* Focus on livelihood promotion and ensuring the repair and maintenance of watershed assets.
* **Sustainability and Governance**
* Exploration of mechanisms for post-project maintenance through engagement with NGOs and technical service providers.
* Deliberations focused on improving watershed governance and building climate resilience in rainfed areas.
* The event included technical sessions on Land Resource Inventory, Hydrology, and Watershed Sustainability.
**Impact Analysis**
**REWARD States (Karnataka and Odisha)**
**Impact**
These states are the primary implementers of the program and will benefit from updated technical frameworks and scientific practices.
**Action Required**
States must reform institutional and implementation mechanisms and adopt suggested technologies like LRI and high-resolution imagery for planning.
**Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA)**
**Impact**
As the organizing and oversight bodies, they are responsible for finalizing the NTG and aligning them with national goals for rainfed area development.
**Action Required**
They must incorporate expert inputs from the 100 participating practitioners into the final guidelines and oversee the development of the national web portal.
**Farmers and Local Watershed Institutions**
**Impact**
They are the central focus of the management strategies, aimed at receiving better water security and climate-resilient infrastructure.
**Action Required**
Local institutions must drive watershed management through community participation and focus on the long-term maintenance of created assets.
**Technical Service Providers and NGOs**
**Impact**
The guidelines propose an increased role for these entities in ensuring post-project sustainability and technical support.
**Action Required**
These stakeholders need to explore engagement mechanisms for the long-term maintenance of watershed assets.
Key Entities Referenced
Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) Programme: A World Bank-assisted initiative aimed at improving watershed management and agricultural resilience across specific Indian states.
National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for Improved Watershed Management: A draft policy document being developed to provide a science-based framework for watershed planning, implementation, and sustainability.
National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA): The technical knowledge partner responsible for leading the development of watershed management guidelines and technical sessions.
Department of Land Resources (DoLR): The primary administrative department under the Ministry of Rural Development overseeing the national watershed programs.
Karnataka and Odisha: The central states designated for the implementation of the REWARD program.
Ministry of Rural Development
Second National Level Consultation Meeting on
the National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for
Improved Watershed Management under the
World Bank Assisted Rejuvenating Watersheds
for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative
Development (REWARD) Program
प्रव तथ: 18 JUN 2026 10:40AM by PIB Delhi
The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), the Knowledge Partner of the Department of Land
Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, organized the Second National
Level Consultation Meeting on the draft National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for Improved
Watershed Management under the World Bank-assisted Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural
Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) Programme on 17–18 June 2026 at the
NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi.
The inaugural session was graced by Shri Narendra Bhooshan, Secretary, Department of Land
Resources, and Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, NRAA, along with senior
officials from DoLR and NRAA.
The consultation brought together key stakeholders involved in watershed development and natural
resource management, including representatives from the Department of Land Resources, National
Rainfed Area Authority, the World Bank, REWARD States (Karnataka and Odisha), NRAA’s Consortium
Partners, NABARD, ICAR institutions, and other national and international organizations.On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, Shri Narendra Bhooshan
launched a short film titled “Meri Mitti, Mera Farz”, to protect our soil, restore degraded landscapes,
improve our rainfed areas and secure a sustainable future through watershed development.
The Secretary, DoLR emphasized that watershed management to be driven by science, community
participation, and administrative simplicity, with a strong focus on farmers and local watershed
institutions. He advised to keep in mind the National goals of development of Rainfed areas, improving
agricultural productivity, enhancing cropping intensity, strengthening water security & groundwater
recharge, building climate resilience, and ensuring the repair & maintenance of watershed assets while
formulating the guidelines. He also emphasized that the measures suggested in NTG should be scalable.
CEO, NRAA recalled the previous discussion suggestion of first national level consultation of draft NTG-
greater involvement of private sector, data driven approach, convergence, involvement of PRI, post project
sustainability. Further, He emphasized integration of enabled applications with chatbots, use of
technology-driven monitoring & evaluation systems, development of robust DSS and national web portal
systems that can generate meaningful outcomes for future watershed programmes.
Joint Secretary (WM), DoLR, suggested to have deliberations on the use of drone technology for
obtaining high resolution imagery for planning, adoption of LRI & Hydrology-Lite approaches, reforming
the institutional and implementation mechanisms in States for effective watershed implementation and to
explore the mechanisms for post-project maintenance and sustainability of watershed assets through the
engagement of technical service providers, institutions/NGOs.
The consultation aims to deliberate on the draft National Technical Guidelines and to incorporate expert
inputs for strengthening watershed planning, implementation, monitoring, and sustainability across the
country. The deliberations are expected to contribute significantly towards improving watershed
governance and enhancing climate resilience in rainfed areas.
A series of technical sessions have been planned covering key thematic areas such as Land Resource
Inventory (LRI), Hydrology, Decision Support Systems (DSS), Technology-enabled Monitoring and
Evaluation, Community Engagement and Social Mobilization, Livelihood Promotion, Watershed
Sustainability, and Remote Sensing & GIS-based Web Portal Development.
The event has witnessed participation from around 100 experts and practitioners representing States and
reputed institutions, reflecting a broad-based commitment towards advancing scientific and sustainable
watershed management practices in the country.
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RC/HR
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