Water Resources Should Be Under the Control of the Central Government
Water Resources Should Be Under the Control of the Central Government
The general impression is that in India water is a State subject, but the position is not quite so simple. The primary entry in the Constitution relating to water is indeed Entry 17 in the State List, but it is explicitly made subject to the provisions of Entry 56 in the Union List which enables the Union to deal with inter-State rivers if Parliament legislates for the purpose.
Yes
• In India most of the rivers just do not belong to the state but in fact care interstate and therefore, the power should be given to central government.
• India is more of an agricultural country where main need of water is for irrigation purposes. Giving the control to central government will streamline the process.
• Day by day our country is facing the severe problem of hydro-politics. It is time for the centre to take the main stage.
• The country is facing severe problem of mismatch between the demand and supply of water. Even people are not opting for alternative sources of water.
• The constitutional division of power in respect to water between the Union and the States is not fine and is demanding a change.
No
• The water resources control means the river waters and irrigation, and therefore the control can be best assigned to the individual states.
• There is no need to fight for water if the whole country starts focusing on the alternative sources of water.
• If the water resources control is given to the central government it will enhance the corruption in the system.
• The assigning of water control to the central government will lead to the political differences between the states and the centre.
• If the entire control of the water resources is given to the central government it will create lots of chaos, delay and problems in managing the water supply.
Conclusion
India is a vast country. It is practically not possible to give the control of water resources to the central government. If it happens, the problems will become more complex. Instead of assigning the power to state or centre the water can be placed into the Concurrent List. It will enhance the federalism and the state and the centre both can legislate on water.
Discussion
- RE: Water Resources Should Be Under the Control of the Central Government -Deepa Kaushik (06/21/14)
- It is very much justified to keep the key of Water Resources with the Central Government. We have been visualising problems between the states due to the water resources. Over the period of time, the situation just got worsened with every state focussing on their individual interest rather than as a single unit India.
We have also undergone some serious accidents, tragic incidences due to the sudden outflow of the water from the dam, which is again due to the interest of the individual state. These incidences could be avoided if a single governing body monitor the water channel for the whole nation and distribute the water flow as per the requirement and keep a proper check on the danger level as well.
It is also seen that the neighbouring states fail to co-operate with each other, which leads to scarcity of water in one, with an ample supply in the other. These scenarios could be avoided with a equal distribution of water resource and conserving the same for hydro-power or any other quality purpose.
For any productive task, there should be a single unit supervising and controlling the whole resource. This could be the Centre which could keep the controlling chamber with themselves to resolve all the water disputes and justify all the states and their citizens.
