The water crisis facing Karnataka is reaching unmanageable proportions. This is reflected in the grave agrarian distress but also in acute shortage of safe drinking water for the people in both rural and urban areas. The Government of Karnataka has consistently responded to the water crisis with appropriate policies. The state adopted a water policy in 2002 and an urban water and sanitation policy in 2003. These policy documents contributed to shaping water-related strategies and programmes in Karnataka. In December 2017, the Karnataka Jnana Aayoga (KJA) set up a Task Group to draft a new water policy for the state, which would reflect a 21st century understanding and perspectives on water, taking into account the fresh challenges emerging on the ground. The aim was to provide a new direction to the management of water resources in Karnataka, which would yield solutions to the water crisis, make water available for the people and enable the economic development of the state in a sustainable and equitable manner.