is constituted of ministers from respective ministries and it makes recommendations to the cabinet on **all** water policy issues. This high-powered council has not functioned well in the past because of lack of support. There is no effective organization for examining water issues in a holistic manner and presenting them to the Council. The task has been partially performed by the Ministry of Water, which lacks appropriate resources to do this job efficiently. The situation in Bangladesh, however, is not as complicated as in countries with a federal structure, like India, **24** where in spite of the presence of a National Water Resources Council and a National Water Policy mandating coordinated water development across States and alternative uses, very little has been accomplished due to lack of institutional mechanism to plan, coordinate and implement programs across state boundaries and among users.<sup>2</sup> 5 The Water Resource Planning Organization (WARPO) provides a logical support base for the National Water Council. The mandate of WARPO covers this aspect, by requiring it to "determine national policies and strategies for the scientific utilization and conservation of water resources." As suggested later on the framing of a national water policy and associated water legislation could be undertaken by WARPO, for approval of the National Water Council. WARPO should also provide research and information support to the NWC.

# _Organizations for Planning and Intformation Management_

In many Asian countries, there are organizations for planning and coordinating water management activities at the highest level, like the National Water Resource Board in Thailand and the National Water Resource Board in the Philippines. The latter not only advises the government on water matters but is a permanent organization with broad powers for coordinating and integrating water resources development; administering rights; formulating criteria, rules and regulation; undertaking river basin planning; surveys and studies; and reviewing and approving water resource projects within the context of overall national, regional and river basin plans.<sup>26</sup> In Bangladesh, there is need for such an organization and this could very well be WARPO, given its broad mandate for this type of function.

**The Water Resources Planning organization** (WARPO): With some modifications, WARPO could be made to perform the task of a national water resource management organization in Bangladesh. However, one of the problems encountered with this type of organizations is the difficulty of ensuring that other agencies of the government accept its leadership and abide by its instructions. In India, for instance, the Ministry of Water Resources has essentially remained the old Ministry of Irrigation and its origin reflects upon its preoccupation with irrigation and flood protection. It has no direct authority over

> **24** See India Irrigation Sector Review, op cit.

> 25 The situation in Sri Lanka is slightly different. Although there is no high level policy body there as yet, a recent ADB and USAID study (Comprehensive water Resources Management in Sri Lanka, op cit.) has recommended the establishment of a National Water Commission, serviced by all related ministries, but with one prime ministry responsible for ensuring that water-related issues are considered in policy proposals.

> **26** See Water Resource Management in Asia, op cit.

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