The Union Government enacted the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which came into effect on 30 December 2021, and established the National Dam Safety Authority to oversee implementation and standards. The authority has issued regulations and provided technical oversight while States and Union Territories have institutionalised mandatory pre-monsoon and post-monsoon safety audits of specified dams. Independent panels of experts have been constituted in several States and Union Territories to undertake comprehensive safety evaluations and strengthen surveillance and maintenance.

According to reporting by dam owners, year-wise inspections show that in 2023 there were 6414 pre-monsoon inspections and 5881 post-monsoon inspections, in 2024 there were 6366 pre-monsoon inspections and 6456 post-monsoon inspections, and in 2025 there were 6524 pre-monsoon inspections and 6555 post-monsoon inspections. These figures reflect the institutionalisation of inspection cycles and improved monitoring under the Act. States have been encouraged to adopt early warning systems and instrumentation for health monitoring of dams.

To improve safety and operational performance, the Government is implementing the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project, Phase II and Phase III, with external funding, targeting rehabilitation works, safety enhancement and capacity building for selected dams. Digital tools developed under DRIP Phase II are assisting dam owners, State Dam Safety Organisations and the National Dam Safety Authority to meet statutory obligations within prescribed timelines, while technology demonstrations and diagnostic studies are promoting cost effective rehabilitation techniques. Major rehabilitation works on 40 distressed dams have been completed and project allocations are made on the basis of comprehensive proposals that include structural and non-structural measures.

Central support includes standard bidding documents prepared by the Central Water Commission, technical assistance for instrumentation plans and guidance on Emergency Action Plans, which are being developed and tested through mock drills in coordination with State Governments and disaster management agencies. Community awareness programmes have been organised at various dam sites to strengthen preparedness and stakeholder coordination. The information was provided by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.