Lok Sabha Question No. 30 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Water Scarcity
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *30

ANSWERED ON 19.07.2018

## WATER SCARCITY

## *30. ADV. JOICE GEORGE

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

- (a)whether the Government is considering the water scarcity issue as the silent crisis of and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether  any  differences  amongst  the  States  have  been  observed  on  the  issue  and  if so,  the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government has any concrete mechanism to address the issue; and
- (d)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION ( SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a)to ( d) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (D)  OF  STARRED QUESTION  NO *30 TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 19 TH ,  JULY 2018 REGARDING 'WATER SCARCITY' ASKED BY ADV. JOICE GEORGE.

(a)The total water availability of India received through precipitation isabout 4000 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) per annum. After evaporation, 1869 BCM water is available as natural runoff. geological and other factors, the utilizable water availability is limited to 1137 BCM per annum comprising 690 BCM of surface water and 447 BCM of replenishable ground water.

Total requirement of the country for different uses for highdemand scenario for the years 2010 and 2025 has been assessed as 710 BCM and 843 B CM respectively. Further, the country's total  water  demand  has  been  estimated  as  1180  BCM  in  the  year  2050,  outstripping  th availability of 1137 BCM.

The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely depende hydro- meteorological and geological factors and is generally constant. However, water availability 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  capit availability in the years 2001 and 2011 was assessed as 1820 cubic meters and 1545 cubi respectively which may reduce further to 1340 and 1140 in the years 2025 and 2050 respectively Annual per - capita water availability of less than 1700 cubic meters is considered as wate condition, whereas annual per -capita water availability below 1000 cubic meters is considered a water  scarcity  condition.  Due  to  high  temporal  and  spatial  variation  of  precipitation availability  of  many  region  of  the  country  is  much  below  the  national  average  and considered as water stressed / water scarce.

(b)to (d) Inter - State River Water Disputes among various States have been observed for shari water from  inter - State  rivers . The Government has  enacted  Inter - State  River  Water  Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 for adjudication of disputes relating to sharing of water of inter - State rivers and  river  valley  thereof.  When  any  request  under  the  said  Act  is  received  from  a Government in respe ct of a water dispute on the inter - State rivers and the Central Government is of the  opinion  that  the  water  dispute  cannot  be settled  by  negotiations,  the  Central  Government constitutes a Water Dispute Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute.

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