Water scarcity

Water Online: Reports of the World Economic Forum titled "The Bubble is Close to Bursting: A Forecast of the Main Economic and Geopolitical Water Issues Likely to Arise in the World during the Next Two Decades", "Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus", etc. highlight the issue of water scarcity and challenges in water resources sector.

Government is aware of increasing demand of water as a result of population growth, industrialization and urbanization. Several steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources are taken up by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes. Central assistance is provided to States under various schemes/programmes of Ministry of Water Resources namely, "Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) for Major and Medium Irrigation Projects", AIBP for Minor Irrigation Projects", Command Area Development and Water Management (CAD&WM) Programme", "Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies", etc.

Government of India has also launched National Action Plan on Climate Change envisaging setting up of 8 National Missions, inter-alia, including National Water Mission with an objective of conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management. The five identified goals of the Mission are : (a) comprehensive water data base in public domain and assessment of impact of climate change on water resources; (b) promotion of citizen and state action for water conservation, augmentation and preservation; (c) focused attention to vulnerable areas including over-exploited areas; (d) increasing water use efficiency by 20%, and (e) promotion of basin level integrated water resources management....

Balancing rocks at the Osman Sagar lake outside Hyderabad, shot by Swaanan