National Dam Safety Authority

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) is mainly responsible for laying down policy guidelines and programmes for the development, conservation and management of water as a national resource. It is also responsible for an overall national perspective of water planning and coordination in relation to diverse uses of water; water laws and legislations; addressing inter-State and trans-boundary water issues; bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation; and general policy guidelines and programmes for assessment, development and regulation of the country’s water resources. DoWR, RD & GR is also responsible for water quality assessment; rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries and also conservation and abatement of pollution in other rivers.

The Department is also allocated the subjects pertaining to regulation and development of inter-State rivers; implementation of awards of Tribunals; technical guidance, scrutiny, clearance and monitoring of the irrigation, flood control and multi-purpose projects; ground water management; flood proofing; water logging; sea erosion and dam safety.

Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur

The Institute was jointly established in 1963 as Malaviya Regional Engineering College Jaipur by the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan. Subsequently, on 26 June, 2002, the college was given the status of National Institute of Technology. On 15 August 2007, it was recognized as the Institute of National Importance through an Act of Parliament. The Institute is fully funded by the Ministry of Education (Shiksha Mantralaya), Government of India.

National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams at MNIT Jaipur

To ensure the high standards and uniform policy in the implementation of dam safety measures across the country, the Union Parliament has enacted the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which was steered by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. The Act aims to establish high standards and a comprehensive policy framework for dam safety in India, and sets forth guidelines and regulations to govern dam construction, operation, maintenance, and surveillance. The Act emphasizes the importance of risk assessment, regular inspections, and monitoring of dams to identify potential vulnerabilities and mitigate risks. By enacting the Dam Safety Act, 2021, the government of India aims to strengthen the overall safety of dams and minimize the risks associated with their failure. The legislation reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the concerns surrounding dam safety and emphasizes the importance of adopting advanced technologies, best practices, and international standards in dam construction and management. Ultimately, the implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, is expected to enhance the resilience of dams in India, safeguard lives and property, and protect the ecological balance in the event of unforeseen incidents such as floods or earthquakes.

The National Centre for EarthquakeSafety of Dams has been established to assist the dam owners, regulators and policy makers with technical knowhow, and capacity development in the domain of structural & earthquake risk assessment, and retrofit of dams.