Government approves Jal Jeevan Mission funds for Odisha and Chhattisgarh

The Jal Shakti Ministry has approved Rs 812 crores to Odisha government for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission for the financial year 2020-21.

This allocation is a significant jump from last year's allocation of Rs 297 crore. The state plans for 100 percent household tap connections by the year 2024 and this year out of 81 lakh rural households in the state, the Odisha government plans to provide 16.21 lakh household connections.

Also, the ministry has granted Rs 445 crore to the Chhattisgarh government for the implementation of the mission in the state in 2020-21.The state that is battling the issues of rapid groundwater depletion and chemical contamination will lay emphasis on water quality monitoring and surveillance. (Devdiscourse, The Statesman)

Committee suggests enacting a law to manage floods in Maharashtra

The 10-member panel, which was set up under former state irrigation secretary Nandkumar Wadnere to study the floods in Krishna-Bhima river basins, has submitted its report to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. As per the panel, there is a need for a law to effectively manage the floods and do away with human interventions that aggravates flooding in the state. Along with this, the report has also recommended that the dams in upper streams should be upgraded to accommodate excess rainfall in Sahyadri ranges and the carrying capacity of the rivers should be taken into consideration while regulating the discharges from the dams. (The Times of India)

Under MGNREGA, UP plans to revive 19 rivers in the state

Under MGNREGA, migrant labourers would be deployed for revival of 19 small rivers that pass through 39 districts in the state. The rivers to be rejuvenated are Sai, Pandu, Mandakini, Tedhi, Manorama, Varuna, Sasur Khaderi, Arel, Morao, Tamsa, Naad, Karnavati, Baan, Sone, Kali, Dadhi, Ishan, Budhi Ganga and Gomti. In order to give the rivers a new lease of life, the MGNREGA workers will be required to remove silt and clean check dams. For the implementation of the river revival scheme, the Rural Development Department will be working in close coordination with the Jal Shakti Ministry and a state-level committee has also been set up to take care of the revival efforts. (Outlook India)

Noyyal river restoration project, worth Rs 230 crore, launched

The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned Rs 230 crore for the restoration of Noyyal river that originates from the Western Ghats in Coimbatore district and flows through Tirupur, Erode and Karur districts. Under the restoration project, encroachments would be removed from the river bank, repairing and desilting of 18 anicuts, strengthening of the river bund and construction of four new anicuts would be taken up. The project would help increase the groundwater level in all the four districts and it would also benefit 36,304 acres of agricultural land as Chithiraichavadi check dam would also be desilted as part of the project. (The Times of India)

DDA expresses inability to constitute special purpose vehicle for Yamuna rejuvenation

Owing to the legal impediments in creating a separate legal entity under the Delhi Development Act, 1957, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has expressed its inability before the National Green Tribunal to constitute a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for rejuvenation of the Yamuna river. It was in March this year, that the NGT ordered DDA that it may constitute a special purpose vehicle within two weeks for rejuvenation of the Yamuna river. However, DDA said the word "may" was used by the tribunal in its order since it considered it appropriate that taking into account all the attendant circumstances DDA should consider the option whether or not to constitute an SPV. (Money Control)

This is a roundup of important policy matters from May 26 - June 4, 2020. Also, read news this week.