Water is a foundation of life and livelihoods and is a key to sustainable development. Successful water management will serve as a foundation for the achievement of many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as for SDG 6-which is to 'ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'. India with 2.4% of the world's total area has 16% of the world's population but has only 4% of the total available fresh water. The total water available from precipitation in the country in a year is about 4,000 cubic km. The availability of surface water and replenishable groundwater is 1,869 cubic km. Out of this only 60 per cent can be put to beneficial uses. Thus, the total utilisable water resource in the country is only 1,122 cubic km. This clearly indicates the need for water resource development, conservation, and optimum use. While the total water resource availability in the country remains constant, the per capita availability of water has been steadily declining since the year 1951 due to population growth. The twin indicators of water scarcity are per capita availability and storage. A per capita availability of less than 1700 cubic metres (m3) is termed as a water-stressed condition while if per capita availability falls below 1000 m3, it is termed as a water scarcity condition. Safe and clean drinking water is one of the biggest problems in India.There is a shortage of water for agriculture and industrial sectors also. The main issue is how to make better water management in India. Unplanned development and management of water are leading to water scarcity, an economic and environmental strain which may increase manifold in the coming decades. The main issues and challenges for water management in India are (i) Deterioration of Water Quality (ii) Water Conservation (iii) Lack of Safe and clean drinking water (iv) Insufficient water for irrigation.

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The idea of forming a two-tier federal structure in India gathered considerable momentum after the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League came together through a Pact in 1916. But the concept of the third tier which was mooted in the Constituent Assembly through the incorporation of panchayats in the Directive Principles of State Policy after detailed deliberation began receiving attention after the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution in 1992 which coincided with the paradigmatic shift in the policy of the Indian State. This Act signified in clear terms the intention of the State to strengthen the process of third tier federalism in India. This article seeks to critically examine the process of evolution of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as a new tier in the Indian federal system, excluding the Fifth and Sixth Scheduled Areas. An attempt has also been made to analyse despite constitutionalisation of PRIs where the shoe still pinches and wherein lies the ray of hope.

E-government has made good achievements in China and played a major role in improving administrative institutions and provision of public services. In China, the applications of e-government increased since 2001. The application of e-government in China was intended, in part, to accelerate the government's pace of implementing and using information and communications technologies (ICTs) to improve administrative efficiency and effectiveness and, through this administrative reform, to promote economic development and the administrative capacity (Hongguan Tiaokong Nengli) of the central government in China. While Chinese leaders also emphasize the importance of providing a better quality of public services to their citizens, the major goal of e-government seems to be interestingly different than in western countries. Some critical problems have arisen at the same time as in many other developing countries, such as institutional inertia, over expenditure, lack of use, lack of knowledge, lack of infrastructure, asymmetry of regional development, etc. China should consider formulating effective e-government policy as well as creating an institutional mechanism in various government departments for integrating and sharing e-government applications across provinces and local governments. This could prove especially helpful to those citizens who are living in the less developed regions and provinces lacking e-government delivery of public services.

The Government of India has embarked on an ambitious plan to construct strategic roads in border areas on the Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar border as well as within the region. This will greatly add to the stock of roads in the NER and serve the needs of the local population in addition to strategic needs. While substantial investments for roads have flowed into the region, issues such as road network planning, maintenance, ana proc~~s 'Improvement have liot received ;equired attention.The emphasis has largely been on sanctioning new roads, neglecting maintenance of the existing ones, an undesirable situation further exacerbated by the languid approach often leading to serious time and cost overruns. The present government is focusing on the governing of road development in North-Eastern region, for which a number of new projects are being launched independently and in collaboration with international agencies or foreign countries. The prospect of road transport in North-East is bright in the near future. Infrastructure deficits in NER will require committing adequate public funding, particularly on roads. There is an urgent need to strengthen the governing capacity of the road construction agencies. The Central and state governments have to focus on the governance of infrastructural development, particularly roadways in theNorth-Eastern region for which there is need for formulation of effective policy.