UK govt approves new water policy

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday approved a new water policy designed to deal with the impact of climate change on the state’s rich water resources and improper distribution, which often leads to conflicts among different user groups.

The state Cabinet gave its approval to the new water policy at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in Almora, state government’s spokesperson Madan Kaushik said at the press briefing here after the meeting.

The new water policy seeks to address lack of unified perspective in planning, management and use of water resources in the state, he said.

“The objective of the state water policy is to take cognisance of the existing situation and to propose a framework for planning, development and management of water resources of the state based on consumptive, ecological and development perceptions of the state,” preamble of the state’s new water policy said.

The Cabinet also took a decision by which ministers in the state government will now have to pay their own income taxes.

Earlier, the state government paid their income taxes on their behalf. The Cabinet gave its approval to the ITBP setting up its adventure centre near the Tehri lake.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to the Soban Singh Jeena University in Almora and a hike in the fee of ITIs.

The additional revenue earned through the increase in ITI fee will be spent over their upgradation, Kaushik said.