No: ----- Dated: Sep, 24 2014

Filling up of post of Mission Director sanctioned for the National Water Mission Secretariat through Central Staffing Scheme

 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for filling up of the post of Mission Director sanctioned for the National Water Mission (NWM) Secretariat through the Central Staffing Scheme.

 

The post will provide much needed dedicated leadership to accelerate and improve the implementation of the goals and programmes set for the NWM.

Creation of the post was already approved by the Cabinet on 6.4.2011 and the post was created by the Ministry's order dated 16.9.2011. As such, there is no additional financial implication involved in the proposal.

Data on water is already in the public domain since December, 2012 and the next version of the Water Resource Information System (WRIS) is expected by the end of 2014. Awareness campaigns on water conservation through publicity campaigns, both print and electronic media, training of stakeholders have already commenced.

A National Action Plan for three dimensional mapping of underground aquifers has been approved and 802 assessment units had been categorised as over exploited. Under the Command Area Development and Water Management (CAD&WM), a mandatory provision of 30 metres of pucca channel per hectare has been stipulated and 10,000 water bodies will be covered under the Repair, Renovation and Restoration Scheme during the 12th Plan. A series of workshops have been held with various industrial associations like FICCI, Cll, etc. and paper (pulp), steel, textile as also urban sewerage treatment plants have been identified for achieving water usage efficiency.

Guidelines for taking up of basin wise studies of 22 river basins in the country have been framed and proposals have been invited from experts in the field.

Background: The NWM is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) launched by the Government to meet the challenges of the impact of climate change. In its meeting held on 6.4.2011, the Cabinet approved the "Comprehensive Mission Documents" of the NWM and establishment of the Mission Secretariat for NWM, including creation of one post of Mission Director (Addl. Secretary level) and two posts of the Advisors (Joint Secretary level). The post of Adviser (C&M) was already filled up through the Central Staffing Scheme and the recommendation of the UPSC for appointment to the post of Adviser (Tech) has been received. However, the post of Mission Director could not be filled up on regular basis as the draft Recruitment Rules for the post could not be finalized so far.

Recent Cabinet Decisions