jaipur the jal shakti ministry has awarded the water resource department and indira gandhi canal department the national water innovation award increasing the efficiency of the water bodies and making projects costeffective by technological advancement the award was given on friday to the secretary of water resource department naveen mahajan the key initiatives which led to the award was river modelling to predict inflow in dams sedimentation analysis in reservoirs flood forecasting and drought management these simulation models can be effectively used which could lead in the better decisionmaking process said mahajan the department has used modernday techniques like bathymetric system for the precise system of water bodies and river system using the gravitational scale explaining how the operational cost has been lowered down mahajan says the traditional flow irrigation system is gradually converted into pressurised piped irrigation methods to enhance the efficiency of the water use the technological intervention has also lowered the operational cost said mahajan the impact assessment of the above efforts on the human settlements has also been recognized by the ministry the promotion of microirrigation system in the command area and the system of the rotational method for equitable water distribution among farmers has improved the economic prospects of the farmers usage of analytical tools computer software automation and remote sensing technologies at large on the existing projects makes the states innovation stand out among other applicants for the award the department has attained transparency in water management better flood and drought management realtime data collection and dissemination to public at large