Context: 

• NITI weighs discontinuing a key water report that was launched 5 years ago.

Composite Water Management Index (CWMI)

• Launched by:  NITI Aayog in June 2018.
• The CWMI report is a critical assessment of states’ water management.
• Collaboration of Ministries
  • Three ministries: Water Resources, Drinking Water & Sanitation, and Rural Development, worked together to create the CWMI report.
• Current Status
  • In May, 2023, NITI Aayog sought the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti’s perspective on the Index’s “use and applicability.”
  • The Ministry has yet to respond, and the third and fourth editions of the report await release.

Importance of CWMI

• Provides insights into India’s water management challenges by ranking states based on their water management efficiency across various parameters.
• Raises awareness about the water crisis in the country and fosters “competitive and cooperative federalism.”
• Promotes effective water resource management and collaboration among states.
• Establishes benchmarks for state-level water management performance, aiding progress measurement and improvement initiatives.

Recent Report Findings (2019-20)

• Top-Performing States
  • Gujarat Leads
    • The report for 2019-20 reveals that Gujarat is the top-performing state, consistently improving year by year.
    • Following closely are Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh in terms of water management performance.
• State Performance Changes
  • Rajasthan’s Remarkable Leap
    • Rajasthan made a significant leap, advancing nine positions upward from 2017-18 to the fiscal year 2019-20.
    • On the other hand, Goa dropped from the fourth position in 2017-18 to the tenth position in 2019-20, and Punjab also experienced a decline in its ranking during this period.

News Source: Indian Express