Transforming Water Irrigation in India – Jal Samridhi and Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management
By Fredrick Royan, VP/Global Leader, Sustainability and Circular Economy (Frost & Sullivan) | SWAN India Alliance Co-Chair
One of the stand-out presentations at SWAN 2025 conference in Berlin was delivered by Vikas Rajoria and highlighted the worlds largest pressurised smart irrigation project successfully deployed by Sai Sanket in Madhya Pradesh. It clearly highlighted on the transformative outcomes of water efficiency and security for the farming community as well as strong additional co-benefits for the broader community. Some of the key metrics highlighting the scale of the project were >26,500 km of pressurised piped network covering >2,90,000 hectares of farms, covering >1300 villages and >500,000 farmers – with the network utilising >60,000 pressure and flow control valves and >150,000 sensors.
In this regard, it is great to see the recent launch of the Jal Samridhi and Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (MCADWM) by the Jal Shakthi Ministry of India. Dr Amibili at a recent water summit in New Delhi delivered a presentation on Jal Samridhi. At the core of the program is the water users society and a strong participation and empowerment of women as well as a data driven approach for the equitable and sustainable water use in agriculture. It will involve a “cluster=based” implementation model with each cluster ranging from 50 to 50,000 hectares. An optimal cluster will comprise 4,000 farmers and involve an integrated water resource use of canal, groundwater and water reuse. The initial outlay for 2025-26 is INR 1600 crore with non-structural costs estimated to be at INR16,500/ha and the estimated structural costs estimated to be at INR 1,83,500/ha. The overall vision is for MCAD cluster to be a self-sustained unit for water resilience and security.
Digital Public Infrastructure for Water: Building the Backbone of Climate Resilient Water Management
By Amruta Kar, Marketing & Growth Manager (Vassar Labs)
Water systems across the world are under growing strain from climate variability, urban expansion, and rising demand. Fragmented data systems limit the ability of institutions to respond proactively. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for water offers a foundational shift creating a shared, interoperable digital backbone that treats data, platforms, and intelligence for cohesive decision making.
Water DPI integrates real-time monitoring, geospatial intelligence, AI-driven analytics, and open APIs to connect reservoirs, rivers, groundwater, utilities, agriculture, and disaster management systems into a unified ecosystem. This enables evidence-based planning, early warning for floods and droughts, efficient allocation of water, and transparent decision-making across jurisdictions.
Platforms such as Vassar Labs’ aquaWISE demonstrate how modular, scalable DPI can support governments and utilities in moving from reactive management to predictive, climate-resilient governance. By enabling inclusivity, interoperability, and scale, DPI for water is not just a digital upgrade, it’s a critical enabler for sustainable water security for all.
Non-Revenue Water as India’s Most Actionable Efficiency Opportunity
By Raveena Shinde, SWAN India Manager
Non-Revenue Water (NRW) matters because it is one of the few levers Indian water utilities can act on today to improve service reliability, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability without developing new water sources. In a context of rising demand, climate stress, and constrained capital, NRW is no longer just a technical metric, but it also directly shapes how reliably water reaches homes, how utilities manage scarce resources, and how cities plan for the future.
NRW stems from multiple realities: ageing and pressurised networks, inaccurate or oversized meters that miss low flows, unauthorised consumption, and unbilled yet essential uses such as firefighting, public fountains and other social supply. These challenges are further amplified by fragmented data and inconsistent auditing, making it difficult for utilities to move from understanding losses to acting on them.
What gives me optimism is the shift in approach. More utilities are moving away from one-off audits toward continuous, real-time data-driven NRW management by leveraging sensors, district metered areas, analytics, and partnerships with startups that understand local operating conditions enabling better visibility, faster diagnosis, and more targeted interventions.
From what we are seeing across Indian cities, reducing NRW is often the fastest and most cost-effective way to improve per capita supply and financial sustainability, without investing in new supply. The real opportunity lies in making NRW management part of everyday utility operations, rather than treating it as a standalone project.
