Dam Rehabilitation: Strengthening Infrastructure through Policy and Technology

• India ranks 3rd globally in number of large dams with 6,628 specified dams; over 26% are >50 years old, requiring systematic rehabilitation.
• Convergence of statutory backing (Dam Safety Act, 2021), externally-funded rehabilitation programme (DRIP), and digital tools (DHARMA, EWS) makes this a flagship infrastructure-safety issue.
• High-yield for GS-III (infrastructure, disaster management) and GS-II (statutory bodies, federalism).