Water For Domestic Use

The average annual water availability in the country has been assessed as 1869 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM). However, the utilizable water resources, considering topographic, hydrological and other constraints, has been estimated to be about 1121 BCM comprising 690 BCM of surface water and 431 BCM of replenishable ground water. The National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) had, in its Report (1999), assessed the water requirements for domestic uses for the years 2025 and 2050 as 62 BCM and 111 BCM respectively. Hence, the availability of water for domestic use is sufficient to meet the demand.

Several steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management to ensure sustainability of water resources are undertaken 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. State Governments allocate water for different uses depending on their priorities and requirements.

The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation administers through the States the centrally sponsored scheme, National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for providing financial and technical assistance to the States to supplement their efforts to provide drinking water to the rural areas. The State Governments are vested with powers to plan, execute and implement drinking water supply schemes under NRDWP.

Ministry of Urban Development is supplementing the efforts of State Governments/Urban Local Bodies in providing water supply in Urban areas/Metropolitan cities under the schemes/ programmes such as Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme, Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme in Satellite Towns.

This information was given by Union Water Resources Minister Shri Harish Rawat in the Lok Sabha today in reply to a written question.

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