enough for smaller states. Considering the political nature of states’ choices and
approaches, it is possible to argue that the Centre’s contribution to state water
resource management budgets is insignificant to influence change in their course or
content of their strategies. The territorialized politics of water resources development in the states do not assure that even Centre’s enhanced contributions can affect
this change.
Secondly, there is no evidence to show that the Centre’s (or the IDAs’) or states’
budgetary allocations reflect an ongoing larger course-shift from supply augmentation to the broader paradigm of IWRM or the goals of long-term water security.
The Centre’s equivocal translation of its espoused course-shift in the design and
implementation of CSSs is a critical concern.
Thirdly, building on the above two findings, the Centre’s role needs to be
strengthened by supplementing it with additional set of political and institutional
processes, besides a more effective legal element in the larger ecosystem of federal
water governance.
Finally, in response to the question posed in the beginning, the structural and
institutional elements of federal water governance have not received adequate
attention. The existing provisions are not only under-nurtured, but also inadequate
to pursue India’s development goals and address the new and emerging challenges
of water governance towards long-term water security and sustainability goals. It is
imperative to build a ‘new federal consensus’ about Centre–state roles in water
governance (Chokkakula 2019). There is a need to engage in a political process to
elevate the debate of federal water governance to the goals of addressing the
‘whole’ and emphasize partnership building between Centre–states for the purpose.
References
Acharyulu SM (2019) Watering-down the water-federalism. NewsMeter. Opinions & Interviews,
30 Sept 2019. https://newsmeter.in/watering-down-the-water-federalism/
Ayoob S, Gupta AK (2006) Fluoride in drinking water: a review on the status and stress effects.
Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 36(06):433–487
Bakker K (2012) Water security: research challenges and opportunities. Science 337(6097):914–
915
Central Ground Water Board (2019) National compilation on dynamic groundwater resources of
India, 2017. Central Groundwater Board, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development &
Ganga Rejuvenation, Faridabad. https://cgwb.gov.in/GW-Assessment/GWRA-2017-NationalCompilation.pdf. Accessed 3 May 2019
Central Pollution Control Board (2018) River stretches for restoration of water quality. Central
Pollution Control Board, New Delhi
Central Water Commission (2015) Legal instruments for Rivers in India, Volume III (Part I&2).
Interstate Matters Directorate, Central Water Commission, New Delhi
Central Water Commission (2019) Reassessment of water availability in India using space units.
Basin Planning and Management Organization, Central Water Commission, New Delhi
Chakraborti D et al (2003) Arsenic groundwater contamination in Middle Ganga Plain, Bihar,
India: a future danger? Environ Health Perspect 11(09):1194–1201
Whither India’s Federal Governance for Long-Term Water Security?
183
approaches, it is possible to argue that the Centre’s contribution to state water
resource management budgets is insignificant to influence change in their course or
content of their strategies. The territorialized politics of water resources development in the states do not assure that even Centre’s enhanced contributions can affect
this change.
Secondly, there is no evidence to show that the Centre’s (or the IDAs’) or states’
budgetary allocations reflect an ongoing larger course-shift from supply augmentation to the broader paradigm of IWRM or the goals of long-term water security.
The Centre’s equivocal translation of its espoused course-shift in the design and
implementation of CSSs is a critical concern.
Thirdly, building on the above two findings, the Centre’s role needs to be
strengthened by supplementing it with additional set of political and institutional
processes, besides a more effective legal element in the larger ecosystem of federal
water governance.
Finally, in response to the question posed in the beginning, the structural and
institutional elements of federal water governance have not received adequate
attention. The existing provisions are not only under-nurtured, but also inadequate
to pursue India’s development goals and address the new and emerging challenges
of water governance towards long-term water security and sustainability goals. It is
imperative to build a ‘new federal consensus’ about Centre–state roles in water
governance (Chokkakula 2019). There is a need to engage in a political process to
elevate the debate of federal water governance to the goals of addressing the
‘whole’ and emphasize partnership building between Centre–states for the purpose.
References
Acharyulu SM (2019) Watering-down the water-federalism. NewsMeter. Opinions & Interviews,
30 Sept 2019. https://newsmeter.in/watering-down-the-water-federalism/
Ayoob S, Gupta AK (2006) Fluoride in drinking water: a review on the status and stress effects.
Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 36(06):433–487
Bakker K (2012) Water security: research challenges and opportunities. Science 337(6097):914–
915
Central Ground Water Board (2019) National compilation on dynamic groundwater resources of
India, 2017. Central Groundwater Board, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development &
Ganga Rejuvenation, Faridabad. https://cgwb.gov.in/GW-Assessment/GWRA-2017-NationalCompilation.pdf. Accessed 3 May 2019
Central Pollution Control Board (2018) River stretches for restoration of water quality. Central
Pollution Control Board, New Delhi
Central Water Commission (2015) Legal instruments for Rivers in India, Volume III (Part I&2).
Interstate Matters Directorate, Central Water Commission, New Delhi
Central Water Commission (2019) Reassessment of water availability in India using space units.
Basin Planning and Management Organization, Central Water Commission, New Delhi
Chakraborti D et al (2003) Arsenic groundwater contamination in Middle Ganga Plain, Bihar,
India: a future danger? Environ Health Perspect 11(09):1194–1201
Whither India’s Federal Governance for Long-Term Water Security?
183