Composite water management index

Water has been recognized as being vital to India’s economic growth, wellbeing of its people, and the
sustainability of ecosystems. Over the last few years, the Government of India as well as State
Governments have been implementing a range of projects focused on groundwater recharge;
responsible use of water for agriculture; and use of technologies such as micro-irrigation. Similarly,
ranges of legislation promoting water-efficient energy production or discouraging water pollution by
industry have been enacted. More significantly, the Government has consolidated institutional
structures under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to bring interrelated water management functions together
and drive more effective outcomes.
Data-based decision making and competitive federalism can drive significant improvements in water
management in the country. Across the country, there are thousands of decisions taken on a periodic
basis that determine the use of and replenishment of water resources of the country. These include
decisions pertaining to irrigation policies, watershed management, water supply processes, water
pricing, and even export policies that impact “virtual water”. It is important that these decisions get
taken on the basis of high-quality water data and also that different States & Union Territories in India
learn from each other’s best practices, thereby constantly improving their water management practices.
The Comprehensive Water Management Index (CWMI) 2019 measures the performance of States on a
comprehensive set of water indicators and reports relative performance in 2017-18 as well as trends
from previous years (2015-16 & 2016-17). Such a benchmarking exercise can go a long way in creating a
common frame for progress for water in India and also highlight the need for specific improvements.