Center Inks Deal With ISRO, Unveils Water Research Initiatives
The Ministry of Jal Shakti and the space agency ISRO entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance the application of satellite technology and space-based solutions for managing water resources in the nation.
The contract was endorsed at a national seminar on research and development (R&D) in the water sector held by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at the Dr Ambedkar International Center here.
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Under the MoU, the water resources department and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will collaborate on 24 vital research domains, such as reservoir monitoring, water-spread evaluation, river flow analysis, satellite-supported water quality evaluation, and research on macroplastic distribution in aquatic systems.
In his speech at the workshop, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil emphasized that ensuring water security is essential for realizing the vision of "Viksit Bharat" by 2047, and that challenges related to water need to be tackled using technology, innovation, traditional knowledge, and public engagement.
"Water security is a critical foundation for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Solutions to water-related challenges must be driven by technology, innovation, traditional knowledge and people's participation," Patil says.
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The minister stated that the ministry had funded numerous research studies over the last ten years, encompassing 113 directly sponsored initiatives, which contributed to creating effective solutions in the water sector.
Patil additionally commenced the third phase of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative and revealed a goal of establishing two crore water conservation structures from June 2026 to May 2027. He mentioned that the earlier phase had surpassed 1.5 crore buildings.
The workshop featured the introduction of the mission for advancement in high impact areas (MAHA)-Water program, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), as well as an open invitation for startups and MSMEs through the Bharat Water Innovation Network (Bharat WIN) platform.
ISRO chairman and secretary of the department of space V Narayanan stated that the agreement will enhance cooperation between the two entities and bolster the application of satellite-based solutions for water management.
"Space technology today offers unprecedented capacity for observing, assessing, forecasting and managing water resources," Narayanan says.
He noted that the collaboration will enhance efforts in fields like groundwater evaluation, water resource tracking, and flood prediction, mentioning that the alliance between ISRO and the water resources sector began in 1982.
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Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, the CEO of ANRF, stated that the MAHA-Water initiative will aid collaborative projects among academic entities, research labs, startups, and industry collaborators.