India Water Week to be Celebrated from 13 to 17 January

In an effort to raise awareness, conserve and use water resources in an integrated manner, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India will be observing India Water Week from 13 to 17th of this month to use it as a platform to elicit ideas and opinions from global level decision makers, politicians, researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of water resources for mutual benefit and goodwill. The theme for water week will be “Water Management for Sustainable Development". India Water Week-2015 will address the issues of sustainability of water resources development and management in line with Sustainable Development Goals 2015 being finalized by UN. Australia will be the partner country for this event and 30 Australian companies will be participating in the exhibition to showcase the technological advancement in the area of water resources. Maharashtra will be associated as partner State. The main function will be held at New Delhi with a conference cum policy dialogue forum coupled with a Business to Business exhibition organized professionally. The event is targeted at international and national audience comprising of policy planners and technologists involved with water resources management in all key sectors of economy like agriculture, irrigation, energy, industry and drinking water supply. The event is being organized in co-ordination with nodal Ministries of Agriculture, Environment & Forests and Climate Change, Rural Development, Urban Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Power and NITI Ayog along with their associated expert organizations and Public Sector Units, key international bodies and private and public business houses. The IWW-2015 will be celebrated with a multi- disciplinary conference and a concurrently running exhibition enriching the theme and showcasing the technologies and solutions available for the areas under deliberation of the meet. The event will have the following major components: A multi- disciplinary dialogue in form of a conference discussing issues of water management for sustainable development in, water for sustaining life, agriculture and irrigation, drinking water supplies in rural and urban, industrial water use, energy generation applications. A large group of international and national persons of eminence will be sharing their experiences in the field of water management. In addition, there will be three special sessions involving dignitaries, delegates, politicians, experts on various topics of the event. Expert professional bodies and think tanks are invited to put up side events addressing specific issues under the theme. There will also be an exhibition running in parallel supporting the theme and showcasing the technologies, latest development and solutions available for the areas of water management for sustainable development in agriculture and irrigation, drinking water supplies in rural and urban, industrial water use. The exhibition will provide a unique networking opportunity to the exhibitors for exposing their products and services to the practicing water resource professionals from various countries. Exhibitors will also have a unique opportunity to spread their network in this region and find new joint ventures and profit from the growing business in this emerging and technologically important area. Business firms will have the opportunity of direct contact with thousands of potential clients, highly qualified visitors including decision makers, enormous PR and promotional opportunities, to find joint ventures to enable them to expand their business in the rapidly growing India water market and to increase brand visibility/image and free hosting of exhibitors profiles and company website links on event web portal. During the week Hamara Jal – Hamara Jeewan initiative will be observed in every district of the country. This will be an initiative to engage scientists, engineers, water communities, PRIs, other stakeholders and NGOs to address the issues of water resources planning at the local level and to generate awareness regarding need for water conservation. Participation from school students will be an integral part of the programme for sensitizing the next generation for water conservation. This will also spread awareness regarding need to conserve water in the light of growing water scarcity. One day workshop will be organized in every district during the week to find indigenous solution for meeting the water related demands and suggest future road map to manage water for growth. During the workshop it is planned to prepare a profile of each district covering its source of water, utilization for various uses and constraint, possible local solutions for meeting the unsatisfied demands and future roadmap to manage water for growth. The States have been asked to submit a report in this regard after the workshop is over. The recommendations received during the deliberations of the workshop will also be used for preparation of an overview of State level recommendations. Such recommendations would enable Ministry to utilize the same for policy making. Conceptualised and organised for the first time in 2012, the India Water Week is an annual forum where the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India discusses, talks, strategizes with eminent stakeholders through seminars, exhibitions and sessions to build public awareness to get support to implement key strategies for conservation, preservation and optimum use of available water. This is the third event in line with the theme “Water management for sustainable development”. The second event namely India Water Week-2013 with the theme “Efficient Water Management: Challenges and Opportunities” was organised during 8-12 April, 2013 at New Delhi.