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@article{194871,
        author = {Rishabh Gupta and Neha Agrawal},
        title = {Water Governance and Policy Frameworks in India: Challenges and Solutions for SDG 6 through the Empowerment of Rural Women},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {10},
        pages = {5783-5798},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=194871},
        abstract = {Water governance and policy frameworks are an important aspect in India’s initiatives toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which ensures availability and sustainable management of clean water for all. Despite many sweeping policy reforms and initiatives such as the National Water Policy (NWP) and the Jal Jeevan Mission, water scarcity, pollution, inequitable water distribution, and climate change continue to elude solutions. Through a systematic review of existing literature and policy frameworks, this paper attempts to examine the current scenario of water governance in India with special reference to the voices and empowerment of rural women in the resolution of these issues. It analyses the viability of existing policies at the national and state levels and brings into perspective concerns like poor inter-sectoral coordination, lack of funding, fragmented institutions, and depletion of groundwater. Innovative participatory approaches such as community solutions, the use of digital technologies, and integrated water resources management (IWRM) are being explored to improve water governance. The study emphasizes the need for a strong legal-policy framework that would encourage and facilitate cooperative endeavors between government and the private sector, and more importantly engage local communities across the board. Specifically, the findings highlight that empowering rural woman as primary decision-makers is essential for effective, equitable local water management. Ultimately, to achieve SDG 6 in India, a more holistic and inclusive governance paradigm is needed that brings water sustainability and equity into consideration alongside environment and social concerns.},
        keywords = {Empowerment of Rural Women, Integrated Water Resource Management, Policy Frameworks, SDG-6, Water Governance, Water Sustainability},
        month = {March},
        }