The draft National Water Framework bill deals with water management issues and Ground Water Model bill is to help states tackle groundwater crisis, Secretary, Union Water Resources Ministry, Shashi Shekhar said.
"The kind of drought situation we have witnessed against a backdrop of climate change, nobody knows how frequently such a situation will reoccur. The water problem is escalating. So the time has come that we manage water in a better and efficient manner.
The Ministry in a statement said National Water Framework bill provides an "overarching" national legal framework based on principles for protection, conservation, regulation and management of water as a vital and stressed natural resource, under which legislation and executive action on water at all levels of governance can take place.
The other legislation relating to groundwater is based on the principles of subsidiarity and equitable distribution in an integrated approach, it said.
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Meanwhile, the government has sought suggestions/comments on both the bills, uploaded on the Ministry's website https://bsmedia.business-standard.commowr.Gov.In, from all individuals, experts, organisations, institutions latest by June 25, 2016.
The suggestions/comments on the draft framework bill can be sent to the Ministry at jspp-mowr@nic.In or sjcpp-mowr@nic.In and on the model bill at dirgw-mowr@nic.In or pratul.Saxena@nic.In.
Shekhar though maintained the bills are "advisory" in nature and "not binding" on states as water is a state subject.