(a) whether according to the recent Worldwatch Institute report which point out that 70% of water consumed globally including diversion from rivers and under ground water is used for irrigation, 20 percent goes to industry and 10 percent for residential purpose;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether under this report, India is heading for hydrological poverty; and
(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government to meet the water shortage in the country?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI ARJUN CHARAN SETHI)
(a) to (d) The Report of the World Watch Institute on
“State of the World 2000†does not categorically state so.
However the major consumptive use of water is in irrigation
sector and is of the order of 70-80% and the remaining is
utilized for other uses namely, domestic, energy sector etc.
In India the share of demand of water for irrigation sector
is of the order of 84% at present.
The average annual Water availability in the
country remains more or less fixed according to the natural
hydrologic cycle. The per capita average annual water
availability is reducing progressively owing to increasing
population. The average annual per capita water
availability may come down from about 1869 Cu.m. at present
to about 1350 Cu.m. by 2025 AD at national level. This is
well above the limit of 1000 Cu.m. per capita per annum,
considered as scarcity condition. Therefore, even by the
end of 2035 AD, India is not likely to face water scarcity
situation at the national level, though uneven water availability may cause local water
scarcity in some parts of the country.
The Govt. has initiated various measures like
Command Area Development Programme and Water Resources
Consolidation Projects to improve efficiency of irrigation
water use in the country. As a long term measure National
Water Development Agency have formulated National
Perspective Plan for water resources development which
envisages interlinking between various Peninsular rivers and
Himalayan rivers for transfer of water from surplus basins
to water deficit basins. Government of India is also
promoting rain water harvesting through watershed management
programme, artificial recharge of ground water and roof-top
rain water harvesting under the sector reform project of
Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme under the Ministry
of Rural Development for which technical and financial
assistance is provided to the state government and other
implementing agencies. Central Ground Water Board has also
taken up pilot studies for artificial ground water recharge.