**Executive Summary**
The Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) chaired the Regional State Water Secretaries Conference in Pune on January 21, 2026. The conference aimed to foster synergistic partnerships between the Centre and State governments in the water sector, emphasizing effective resource utilization and enhanced coordination for timely project completion. The conference seeks to lay the ground work for a national conference in the future.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Conference Overview:**
* The conference focused on synergistic partnerships between the Centre and States in the water sector.
* Senior officials from various states/UTs participated, including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
* **Conference Objectives:**
* Underscored the need for effective utilization of the resources and services of DoWR, RD & GR in the region by participating States/UTs.
* Emphasized holding regional conferences for detailed deliberations between DoWR, RD&GR and the States/UTs.
* **Conference Agenda:**
* Review of works done by department organizations in participating States/UTs.
* Presentations by participating States/UTs.
* Discussion on the States/UTs' presentations and addressing their concerns.
* Review of adoption of DoWR, RD, GR advisories by participating States/UTs.
* **Key Outcomes:**
* State officials presented actions taken in water resources management.
* Secretary DoWR, RD&GR reviewed overall progress, emphasizing strengthened coordination.
* Importance of timely completion of projects and reduced coordination gaps was highlighted.
* Integrated strategies for sustainable water resources development were emphasized.
* The department committed to providing full support for water resources projects.
**Impact Analysis**
**Participating State/UT Governments**
* **Impact:** Expected to align with conference objectives, improve water resource management, and enhance coordination with the central government.
* **Action Required:** Implement strategies discussed at the conference, complete ongoing projects on time, and improve center-state coordination.
**Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR)**
* **Impact:** Required to provide support for the overall development and management of water resources projects.
* **Action Required:** To formulate and execute integrated strategies for sustainable and effective development of water resources in the region.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR): A department within the Ministry of Jal Shakti responsible for water resource management, river development, and Ganga rejuvenation.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The central government ministry responsible for water resources.
Pune: The city in which the Western Region State Water Secretaries Conference was held.
Regional State Water Secretaries Conference: A conference held for water secretaries of states in the Western Region to discuss synergistic centre-state partnerships in the water sector.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR Chairs the Western
Region State Water Secretaries Conference in
Pune
Paving the Way for Synergistic Centre–State Partnerships in
the Water Sector
प्रव तथ: 21 JAN 2026 3:30PM by PIB Delhi
Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga
Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, chaired the Regional State Water Secretaries
Conference for the Western Region for synergistic partnerships between the Centre and State governments
in the water sector.
Senior officials from the Water Resources Departments of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman
& Diu participated in the conference. Officials of DoWR, RD&GR, New Delhi apart from heads of major
organisations of the department participated in the conference.
Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR while highlighting the objectives of the conference underscored the need of
effective utilisation of services/ works of the various organisations of the DoWR, RD& GR in the region
by participating States/UTs. He also emphasised the need of holding such regional conferences for
detailed deliberations between the DoWR, RD&GR and the States/UTs for paving the way for a national
conference.
The main agenda of the conference included -
i. Review of the works done by the organisations of the Department in the participating States/UTs.
ii. Presentations by the participating States/UTs.
iii. Discussion on the Presentations of the States/UTs and response to their issues/ concerns.
iv. Review of adoption of advisories of DoWR, RD, GR by the participating States/UTs.
State Govt. officials made presentations on the actions taken by their respective states/UTs in the field of
water resources. Secretary DoWR, RD&GR reviewed the overall progress made by the states and
highlighted the importance of strengthening the centre-state and inter-state coordination for effective
implementation of various schemes. The Secretary underpinned the need for timely completion of ongoing
projects and to reduce the gaps in centre-state coordination to ensure time-bound progress of priority
works.
In his concluding remarks, the Secretary highlighted the significance of the meeting in formulating and
executing integrated strategies for sustainable and effective development of water resources in the region.
He reiterated the department's commitment to providing full support for the overall development and
management of water resources projects.***ND
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