Government Programmes

This document provides the details of the policy statement on environmental protection and conservation of resources by the Government of West Bengal in the light of the environmental concerns emerging because of a large number of developmental projects starting in the state in the near future.

This document informs of the mechanisms through which development, conservation and management functions related to water as a natural resource are carried out in India.

The document provides the details of the institutions responsible for water management:

• At the central level
• At the state level

This report by the World Bank examines the evolution of the management of India’s waters, describes the achievements of the past, and the looming set of challenges. The report draws heavily on a set of twelve background documents by eminent Indian practitioners and policy analysts, and addresses two basic questions - 

• What are the major water development and management challenges facing India? 
• What are the critical measures to be taken to address these? 

This working paper by the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University offers an analysis of the role of law in the Narmada valley struggle, especially that which was waged by one of India’s most prominent social movements in recent years, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), with a specific focus on India’s Supreme Court. The NBA rose in reaction to the Indian government’s plan to construct a large number of dams along the Narmada river, contesting the relief and rehabilitation provided for displaced families at first, and subsequently challenging the dams themselves as being destructive.

The Kisan Swaraj Yatra has been initiated by the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA). This is a loose alliance of scores of groups across the country, drawn from more than 20 states. The network consists of farmers’ organizations, consumer groups, women’s organizations, environmental organizations, organic farmers’ cooperatives, individual scientists, doctors, health activists and others.

Article  246   includes the following clauses:

• Notwithstanding anything in clauses (2) and (3), Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List I in the seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "Union List").
• Notwithstanding anything in clause (3), Parliament, and, subject to clause (1), the legislature of any State also, have power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List III in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "Concurrent List").  
• Subject to clauses (1) and (2), the Legislature of any State has exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part thereof with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "State List").  
• Parliament has power to make laws with respect to any matter for any part of the territory of India not included in a State notwithstanding that such matter is a matter enumerated in the State List.

This document provides the details of The Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act.

The document includes:

• The short title and commencement
• Definitions of the terms in the Act
• Constitution of Municipalities
• Composition of the Municipalities
• Constitution and composition of wards committees
• Reservation of seats
• Duration of Municipalities
• Disqualifications for membership
• Powers, authority and responsibilities of municipalities
• Finance Commission
• Audit of accounts of Municipalities
• Elections to the Municipalities
• Application to Union Territories
• Committee for district planning
• Committee for metropoliton planning 
• Continuance of existing laws and municipalities
• Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters

This document provides information on the evolution of the Housing and Urban Policy in India since the 1950s, which was the beginning of urbanisation and migration of people from rural to urban areas. Urbanisation was then perceived negatively as a drain of resources to feed the population from cities and the contribution of cities in the economic development of the country was not appreciated.

The document describes how the policy evolved from the First Plan in (1951-1956) to the Eighth Plan in (1992-97), which for the first time explicitly recognised the role and importance of urban sector for the national economy.

This document by the Government of India describes the approach to the 11th five year plan. The document is divided into seven chapters and includes:

• Chapter 1: The objectives of the eleventh five year plan and the existing challenges in the country in terms of disparities and divides
• Chapter 2: Growth potential in the eleventh plan
• Chapter 3: Sectoral policies for the eleventh plan
• Chapter 4: Strategic initiatives for inclusive development
• Chapter 5: Bridging divides: including the excluded
• Chapter 6: Public Sector Plan: an enabling environment
• Chapter 7: Conclusions

This document describes the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Regulatory Commission Act and includes:

• A short title and information on the extent and commencement
• Definition of the terms used in the Act
• Details of the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Regulatory Commission
• Powers, functions and duties of the Commission
• Accounts, audit and reports