Lok Sabha Question No. 225 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-02
Subject: Availability of Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SUBHASH PATEL, RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †225 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2017

## AVAILABILITY OF WATER

## †225. SHRI SUBHASH PATEL DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY

## Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether India is lagging behind in regard to per capita global availability of water, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(b) whether the Government has formulated any concrete or institutional and integrated policy to deal with the said situation, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  The  average  annual  water  availability  of  any  region  or  country  is  largely  dependent  upon hydro-meteorological and geological factors and is generally constant. As  per National Commission  on  Integrated  Water  Resources  Development  (NCIWRD)  report,  the  total  water availability of India received through precipitation is about 4000 Billion cubic meter (BCM) per annum. After evaporation, 1869 BCM water is available as natural runoff. Due to geological and other  factors,  the  utilizable  water  availability  is  limited  to  1123  BCM  per  annum.    However, water  available  per  person  is  dependent  on  population  of  the  country  and  for  India,  water availability  per  capita  is  reducing  progressively  due  to  increase  in  population.  The  average annual  per  capita  water  availability  in  the  years  2001  and  2011  was  assessed  as  1820  cubic meters and 1545 cubic meters respectively which may reduce further to 1341 and 1140 in year 2025 and 2050 respectively.  India is home to more than 17% of world's human population and 17.5% of world's cattle population with only 2.4% of world surface area and 4% of fresh water resources of world.

Annual  per-capita  water  availability  of  less  than  1700  cubic  meters  is  considered  as  water stressed  condition,  whereas  annual  per-  capita  water  availability  below  1000  cubic  meters  is considered  as  a  water  scarcity  condition.  Due  to  high  temporal  and  spatial  variation  of precipitation,  the  water  availability  of  many  region  of  the  country  is  much  below  the  national average and can be considered as water stressed / water scarce.

(b)  Since  total  water  available  (i.e.  precipitation)  cannot  be  changed,  steps  are  required  for conservation, efficient management and sustainability of water resources.   The National Water Policy,  2012  formulated  by  this  Ministry  for  unified  national  perspective  on  water  resources management has made several recommendations in this regard. Some of these recommendations are as under:

- i) The availability of water resources and its use by various sectors in various basin and  States  in  the  country  needs  to  be  assessed  scientifically  and  reviewed  at periodic intervals. The trends in water availability due to various factors including climate  change  should  be  assessed  and  accounted  for  during  water  resources planning.
2. ii) Availability  of  water  for  utilization  needs  to  be  augmented  to  meet  increasing demands  of  water  by  harvesting  of  rainfall,  desalination  and  avoidance  of inadvertent evapo-transpiration etc.
3. iii) The aquifers need to be mapped to know the quantum and quality of ground water resources (replenishable as well as non-replenishable) in the country.
4. iv) Declining  ground  water  levels  in  over-exploited  areas  need  to  be  arrested  by encouraging  community  based  management  of  aquifers,  introducing  improved technologies and  incentivizing efficient water use. In addition, where necessary, artificial recharging projects should be undertaken so that extraction is less than the recharge. This would allow the aquifers to provide base flows to the surface system and maintain ecology.
- v) Integrated watershed development activities with groundwater perspectives need to be taken in a comprehensive manner to increase soil moisture, reduce sediment yield and increase overall land and water productivity.

Further, this Ministry has formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) envisaging inter-basin Transfer of water to improve water security in the country. The implementation of NPP would give additional benefits of approximately 35 million hectare of additional irrigation potential and 34000  mega  watts  (MW)  hydro  power  generation  apart  from  the  incidental  benefits  of  flood moderation,  navigation,  drinking  and  industrial  water  supply,  fisheries,  salinity  and  pollution control etc.

Central Ground Water Board, under this Ministry has prepared a conceptual document entitled "Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India" during the year 2013 envisaging construction of 1.11 crore Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge structures in the country to harness 85 BCM (Billion Cubic Meters) of water. The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

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