The term “integrated water resource management” has been popular in water resource management circles for several decades now. The concept, in principle, is about recognising the manner in which water moves and thereby links all manner of users—upstream with downstream, surface with ground, domestic with non-domestic, and so on—and managing water in a way that recognises these linkages. Achieving this laudable goal has, however, been difficult for a variety of reasons, including the fact that these linkages—especially the link between surface water and groundwater—are hardly recognised in the way we monitor, analyse, and present information on water resources. The move in 2015 by the Ministry of Water Resources to set up a committee to recommend suitable re-orientation and re-structuring of CWC [Central Water Commission] and CGWB [Central Ground Water Board] and assess the capacity requirements of CWC and CGWB to discharge all functions as envisaged for integrated water resource management was a welcome and long overdue one. The report of the committee (hereafter, Shah Committee) provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing India’s water sector. Its core recommendation is the creation of a National Water Commission (NWC) that will monitor, plan, promote, incentivise, manage, and regulate water resources (quantity and quality) in the country. - See more at: http://www.epw.in/journal/2016/52/water-governance/focusing-essentials.html#sthash.cBN5LLpW.dpuf