Centre’s draft Cauvery Management Scheme approved

SC approves Centre’s draft scheme for sharing Cauvery river water among riparian states

The Supreme Court has approved the Centre’s draft Cauvery Management Scheme for distribution of water among four riparian states. The apex court has asked the union government to notify the scheme before the commencement of monsoon. The court dismissed Kerala and Karnataka’s views that the scheme encroached upon their rights under the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. It also rejected Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking initiation of contempt for non-finalisation of Cauvery scheme against the Centre. 

Union Cabinet approves Rs 5,000-crore micro-irrigation fund aimed at boosting agriculture production

The union cabinet has approved a dedicated micro-irrigation fund of Rs 5,000 crore to increase the area under micro-irrigation in a bid to boost agriculture production and thereby, farmers’ income. The fund seeks to provide financial assistance on concessional rate of interest to states to promote micro-irrigation. At present, around 10 million hectares is under micro-irrigation while experts peg the potential to be close to 70 million hectares of farmland.

Odisha CM orders the formulation of a comprehensive river policy within the next three months

With the Odisha government planning to spend Rs 75,000 crore for developing water resources over the next five years, chief minister Naveen Patnaik has asked officials to come up with a comprehensive river policy for the state. Dams and barrages are expected to be constructed across the Mahanadi at several places for drinking and agricultural purposes. In addition, the state is also in the process of developing a master plan for the construction of seven barrages downstream of the Mahanadi.

Tamil Nadu to interlink Chennai's lakes with four city rivers to tackle flooding

The state government is looking to interlink all of Chennai’s lakes and tanks with the four river basins, namely Kosasthalaiyar, Cooum, Adyar and Kovalam in and around the city. Prospective project consultants have been asked to identify lakes and the possible linkages to understand the hydrology of the basins better. The government is looking to establish a real time flood forecasting and spatial decision support system for all four basins. 

Rs 941.61 crore sanctioned under the National River Conservation Plan to clean river Tapi

A project worth Rs 941.61 crore has been approved for cleaning up river Tapi as it flows past Surat city under the National River Conservation Plan. Ten percent of the cost of the first phase will be borne by the Surat municipal corporation while a major chunk is footed by the union government. The state government’s “Jal Sanchay” initiative aims to remove over 11,000 lakh cubic feet of accumulated silt from 13,000 ponds, check dams and reservoirs apart from waterbodies in addition to rejuvenating 32 rivers and their tributaries. 

This is a roundup of important policy-related news published between May 15 and 21, 2018. Also, read the news this week.