Abstract
Water scenario in India has been now fast changing because of increasing population, rising demand for irrigation to raise high-yielding varieties of crops, rapid urbanization and industrialization, electricity generation, impact of global warming, erratic rainfall, among others. Water for Life Decade [2005-15] and the annual World Water Day being celebrated on March 22 every year has significance to create awareness among all stakeholders that water is finite, scarce, costly, precious and has competing demand. Water should, therefore, be efficiently managed for country’s sustainable socio-economic development. Drinking water in India has been significantly dependent upon the monsoon rains and increased climate variability is expected to impact it. Despite Government’s several initiatives the current drinking water scenario needs strategic action plan to ensure that safe and quality drinking water is delivered in rural India by 2022. It is in this context this article highlights the Government’s initiatives, current scenario and performance under the rural drinking water supply system and suggests strategic action plan for efficient management of rural drinking water supply system.
Highlights
Asian Development Bank in its report on Water Operational Framework 2011-2020” explicitly cautioned that by 2030 water shortages are likely to aggregate 40 per cent in developing Asia and in India demand will exceed supply by 50 per cent
Twelfth plan has proposed that by end of 2017[i] At least 55% of rural households are provided with piped water supply [ii] At least 35% of rural households have piped water supply with a household connection; less than 20% use public taps and less than 45% use hand pumps or other safe and adequate private water sources [iii] All services meet set standards in terms of quality and number of hours of supply every day [iv] All households, schools and anganwadis in rural India have access to and use adequate quantity of safe drinking water[v] Provide enabling support and environment for PRIs and local communities to manage at least 60% of rural drinking water system and sources
A Pilot project on Drinking Water Security Planning through Integrated Water Resource Management and source sustainability measures on a participative basis is under implementation in 15 over-exploited Blocks
Summary
Asian Development Bank in its report on Water Operational Framework 2011-2020” explicitly cautioned that by 2030 water shortages are likely to aggregate 40 per cent in developing Asia and in India demand will exceed supply by 50 per cent. Domestic water usage in India has been predicted to increase from five per cent in 2000 to eight per cent in 2015 and 11 per cent in 2050. The Government in its document on” National Water Mission under the National Action Plan for Climate Changes” highlights plethora of problems and risks associated with increasing water scarcity. Says “In many countries including India, water use is largely unregulated and often wasteful. Countries may want to consider raising the price for water, as well as searching for ways to make water-intensive sectors more efficient and less polluting.”
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