All India Water Secretaries' Conference

• The All-India Water Secretaries' Conference was held in New Delhi on July 13–14, 2026, under the leadership of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

• Approximately 200 senior officials, including secretaries from the water departments of various states and Union Territories, participated in this two-day conference.

• The primary objective of the conference was to strengthen water governance in the country, promote the efficient management of water resources, and establish better coordination between the Centre and the states to address challenges related to water conservation.

• On this occasion, all states also expressed their commitment to achieving the goal of "Water-Secure, India-Secure" within the stipulated timeframe.

• On the concluding day of the conference, July 14, 2026, three significant documents related to water management were released.

• Key among these are the city-level action plan for the reuse of treated water in Varanasi and the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manual for artificial groundwater recharge and groundwater conservation structures.

• The objective of these documents is to promote the reuse of treated water, enhance the effectiveness of groundwater conservation, and encourage the sustainable and scientific management of water resources, thereby enabling better preparedness to face potential future water crises.