National Hydrology Project

Why in news?

• ISRO Chairman Dr. K. Sivan launched the NHP –Bhuvan portal of National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).
• The Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) released the Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin.

About the Portal:

• The National Hydrology Project or NHP-Bhuvan Portal is a repository of information on the initiatives undertaken by NRSC under NHP with a facility to download the reports and knowledge products being developed by NRSC.

About the Atlas:

• The present glacial lake atlas is based on the inventoried glacial lakes in part of Ganga River basin from its origin to foothills of Himalayas covering a catchment area of 2,47,109 sq. km.
• The study portion of Ganga River basin covers part of India and transboundary region.
• The Atlas is available on Bhuvan portal of NRSC, ISRO, India WRIS Portal and NHP website.

About National Hydrology Project:

• National Hydrology Project (NHP) aims at improving the extent, reliability and accessibility of water resources information and to strengthen the capacity of targeted water resource management institutions in India.
• It was started in the year 2016 as a Central Sector Scheme with 100% grant to Implementing agencies on pan India basis with a budget outlay of Rs 3680 Crore to be spent over a period of 8 years.
• NHP is facilitating acquisition of reliable information efficiently which would pave the way for an effective water resource development and management.
• The Project will create Water resource monitoring system, water resource information system (WRIS), water resource operation and planning systems and institutional capacity enhancement.
• Under NHP, a nationwide repository of water resources data - NWIC has been established.
• The project has two groups of direct beneficiaries:
  • Central and state implementing agencies (IAs) responsible for surface and/or groundwater planning and management, including river basin organizations; and
  • Users of the WRIS across various sectors and around the World.
• The project is funded by World Bank assistance.

Prelims Question

Consider the following statements regarding National Hydrology project:
1.It is funded by World bank assistance.
2.It is a central sector scheme.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question