In pursuance of the recommendations of the National Water Policy (2012) for placing all hydrological data, other than those classified on national security consideration, in public domain, Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) has formulated a draft Hydro-meteorological Data Dissemination Policy. It was released for comments on 7th March, 2013. Now the Hydro-meteorological Data Dissemination Policy (2013) has been modified and finalised. It was also circulated amongst related Ministries/Departments.    

The Hydro-meteorological Data Dissemination Policy (2013) provides for hosting of all unclassified data (after validation and to the extent published in Water Year Book, Water Quality Year Book, Water Sediment Year Book, Ground Water Year Book) on IndiaWRIS (web based Water Resources Information System) website, which can be downloaded by any web-registered user free of cost.    

The hydrological data of Indus basin & other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Pakistan and Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin & other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Bangladesh/Mynmar have been categorized as classified data. A Classified Data Release Committee is proposed to be set up to examine all requests for release of classified data.