The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for bilateral cooperation in the field of water resources management.
The MoU envisages that both the Governments shall work to enhance cooperation at the National, regional and international levels in the field of Water Resources Management and Development by collaborating and sharing experience and expertise in the areas mutually agreed upon, including techniques in the efficient use of water resources, river basin management, decision support systems, delta management, water quality issues and waste water recycling and re-use through innovative concession arrangements. The form of cooperation under the MoU will include promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise through study visits, seminars, conferences and meetings of experts of the Signatories, stimulating joint research and development of capacity-building programs/training, exchange of training groups and other activities for the purpose of academic and applied research and training, promoting mutual participation in and/or initiation of relevant collaboration projects and programs, promoting public private partnerships. A Joint Working Group shall be formed to monitor the activities to be carried out in fulfillment of the MoU.
The Bilateral cooperation will benefit the country in enhancing institutional and technical capacity of center and State Government agencies dealing with water resources especially in the field of river basin management, pollution abatement of rivers including Ganga, flood management, water quality and efficient use of water amongst others.
Background
The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise, conducting of training courses, workshops, scientific and technical symposia, exchange of experts, study tours etc. Keeping in view the success of the Netherlands side in river basin management planning/integrated water resources management, pollution abatement, decision support systems, delta management, water quality, waste water recycling and re-use etc. it has been decided to have an agreement with the Netherlands to benefit from their experience and expertise.
