ASKED TO SUBMIT THE REPORT TO THE PCI BY NOVEMBER 30, 2012
CHANDIGARH JUNE 22: Towards a paradigm shift in water management in India to enhance water use efficiency by 20% during the 12th Five Year Plan, the Planning Commission of India (PCI) has decided to set up a 15-member high level expert group for addressing the issues of water logging in Punjab to achieve this objective.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the expert panel would be Chaired by Member Water Resources and Rural Development PCI Dr Mihir Shah besides other members including former PCI member Dr A Vaidyanathan, senior fellow International Water Management Institute Anand (Gujarat) Dr Tushar Shah, Dr Himanshu Kulkarni from ACWADAM, Pune, Prof. and Head Department of Economics and Sociology Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Dr Karam Singh besides Member (Water Planning and Projects), Centre Water Commission New Delhi, Chairman Central Ground Water Board, Faridabad, Commissioner (Command Area Development and Water Management, Ministry of Water Resources, Representatives of Department of Science and Technology and Department of Land Resources Government of India (GoI), Representatives of the Director (Ground Water), Water Resources and Environment, Punjab Irrigation Department and PAU Ludhiana, Chairman Punjab State Farmer’s Commission and Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture GoI not below the rank of Joint Secretary. Mr Avinash Mishra Joint Secretary Advisor Water Resources Division of the PCI would be the Member Secretary.
The expert group would study the complex issue of water logging and recommend the way forward to address the problem in a holistic manner along with the related financial resources requirements and submit the report to the PCI by November 30, 2012. The group would also suggest innovative globally accepted remedial measures suited to local conditions and also study the measures like water shed management, crop/ agricultural diversification to address the issue of water logging in the state.
