Minister emphasizes tech-enabled approach to water conservation
Srinagar | : Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Departments, Javid Ahmed Dar, on Thursday, launched the official website of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
The launch event was attended by Commissioner/Secretary, Rural Development Department, Babila Rakwal; Secretary, Information Technology Department, Piyush Singla; Chief Executive Officer, IWMP, J&K, Rajnish Kumar and others.
On the occasion, the Minister emphasized that the launch of the IWMP website marks a major step in efforts to ensure transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in watershed development across Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the portal will enable real-time updates on watershed interventions, allowing the citizens to track ground-level progress, monitor resource utilization and identify areas of improvement.
“From mapping ponds and reservoirs to detailing interventions in each catchment, the IWMP portal reflects our commitment to climate-resilient development, reaching even the remotest Panchayats,” Dar said.
The Minister highlighted that rainfed areas in J&K are particularly vulnerable to land degradation and water scarcity. He said the new digital platform will help strengthen planning, monitoring, and execution of projects tailored to these ecologically sensitive zones.
Dar also emphasized the importance of building small reservoirs to conserve water effectively. He reiterated the role of digitization in tracking the watershed projects. “Water preservation is crucial and constructing small reservoirs can make a significant difference,” he said.
The Minister underlined the need for digital platforms to improve governance.
Babila Rakwal lauded the digital leap, calling it “a transformative tool to improve field-level implementation of watershed programmes.”
Secretary IT, Dr. Piyush Singla, emphasized the critical role of information technology in enhancing public service delivery and interdepartmental coordination. He stressed the importance of making government websites dynamic and interactive, noting that static websites often go unnoticed.
Rajnish Kumar, provided an overview of the portal’s features and reiterated the department’s commitment to sustainable watershed development using data-driven approaches and modern technologies.
He said that the newly launched web portal — iwmp.jk.gov.in — has been designed as a robust digital platform under the WDC–PMKSY 2.0 scheme to promote transparency, accessibility and real-time dissemination of information on watershed development projects. It offers dynamic access to project guidelines, progress reports, success stories and more, aiming to enhance the evidence-based planning and encourage active community participation, he added. He stated that 19 projects are currently under implementation, covering a vast project area of 69493 hectares under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme.
