💧 Governance in Water Infrastructure
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, detailed the government's robust monitoring framework for irrigation and water resource projects. Recognizing the complexity of these projects—which involve intricate land acquisition, environmental clearances, and inter-state coordination—the Ministry is utilizing the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) and the PRAGATI platform to ensure timely delivery.
🚀 PRAGATI: Pro-Active Governance
The PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform is used to review long-standing, complex projects that require high-level intervention. Currently, 11 major projects funded by the Department of Water Resources are under PRAGATI review. This mechanism has been instrumental in unlocking bottlenecks related to Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) and inter-departmental clearances.
Key Projects Under PRAGATI Review
| Project Name | State(s) | Key Beneficiary Districts |
|---|---|---|
| North Koel Project | Bihar, Jharkhand | Aurangabad, Gaya, Palamau |
| Subernrekha Multipurpose | Jharkhand | West & East Singhbhum |
| Gosikhurd Irrigation | Maharashtra | Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur |
| J. Chokka Rao Lift Irrigation | Telangana | Warangal, Karimnagar, Suryapet |
| Integrated Anandpur Barrage | Odisha | Keonjhar, Bhadrak |
*Complete list includes 11 projects.
📊 State-wise Project Distribution (PMG)
A total of 86 projects are being tracked in real-time. Maharashtra leads with the highest number of projects under monitoring, reflecting significant infrastructure activity in the state.
- Maharashtra: 23 Projects (₹50,445 Cr)
- Madhya Pradesh: 7 Projects (₹6,423 Cr)
- Telangana: 6 Projects (₹24,817 Cr)
- Uttar Pradesh: 12 Projects (Irrigation + Pollution Abatement)
Note on Clarification: The Minister clarified that currently, no irrigation projects in Palghar (Maharashtra), Dakshin Kannada (Karnataka), or Pali (Rajasthan) are being funded under the central schemes mentioned in this specific review.
🧠 UPSC Connect: Governance
For Civil Services aspirants, this topic connects to GS Paper II (Governance) and GS Paper III (Infrastructure/Agriculture).
- PMG Portal: An institutional mechanism for resolving bottlenecks in infrastructure projects.
- PRAGATI: A multi-purpose, multi-modal platform launched by the Prime Minister for pro-active governance.
- Impact: Shifts oversight from routine reporting to outcome-oriented governance, ensuring assets move toward commissioning.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
