Issues and challenges of water sector in India

Declining per capita water availability, growing regional imbalances owing to spatial and temporal vitiations in rainfall, rising multi-sectorial water demand, inequitable water distribution, low irrigation efficiency, deteriorating water quality, etc are some of the issues that will pose a serious challenge in the days ahead. The need of the hour is a comprehensive strategy that encapsulates all the aspects of the water sector. Project-centric development pursued during the early-plan periods needs to be replaced by integrated water resources planning, development and management for optimizing the water resources allocation. Though water as an element is abundant on Earth, the pool of annually renewable fresh water is limited and is becoming increasingly scarce relative to needs. Water resources in India are roughly four per cent of the World's fresh water supply, whereas the country's population is 16 per cent of the world's population. This is a basic constraint in meeting the growing requirements and is compounded by the rapid increase in population. It is a delicate balance, with will be disturbed with serious implications unless managed judiciously. Water needs must be met through methods and mans that are sustainable over time, for both development and the preservation of eco-systems. Augmentation and quality assurance in unison are keys for meeting future challenges in a sustainable manner.