About the Initiative:
- While addressing the challenges of water security as part of the India@2047 plan, the Prime Minister has proclaimed the ‘5P’ mantra which includes Political will, Public financing, Partnerships, Public Participation and Persuasion for sustainability.
- India’s water sector will play a significant role in achieving heights India strives to reach in the next crucial years.
- To take forward action plan, the Ministry of Jal Shakti is organized the “1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference on Water’’ with the theme “Water Vision@2047” in Bhopal.
- The primary objective of the 2-days Conference was to gather inputs for the India@2047 and 5P vision from the different water stakeholders of the states, water being a state subject, and also to improve engagement and partnership with the states and to share the initiatives and schemes of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- 5 thematic sessions were
- Water Security in Water Deficit, Water Surplus and Hilly Regions;
- Water Use Efficiency including Reuse of Waste Water/ Grey Water
- Water Governance
- Climate Change Resilient Water Infrastructure
- Water Quality.
- The Thematic Sessions have been devised so that we can together work towards the bigger vision of making India a Developed Nation by 2047
How to manage water available?
- Centre, states, people and all stakeholders need to take action in this regard.
- Vigorous programmes on water efficiency are required like energy efficiency.
- There is an urgent need for coordination among users for aquifers.There should be laws and contracts for sharing of aquifers.
- Groundwater mappinghas started in India.
- There should be aRiver Basin Authority for sharing information among states as most of the rivers in India pass through different states focusing on conservation.
- At the village level, there can be decentralized management of water at community level.
- Charging money for efficient use of water(as in case of electricity).
- Changing the cropping pattern, crop diversification and encouraging water use efficiency in agriculture by moving towards food crops from cash crops.
- Coordinated efforts among states for management of ground water at a localized level.
- Encouragingrain water harvesting, check dams
Challenges faced:
- In rural drinking water service delivery, there is inadequate attention given to taking measures to sustain the source of the water, in most cases groundwater is a challenge.
- This proposed mission will make source sustainability measures mandatory prior to pumping and distributing water to households.
- Another issue with the traditional approach to service delivery was that the provision of drinking water was viewed primarily as an engineering solution, with schemes being planned and executed by the public health and engineering departments.
- However, water is an ideal sector for the applicability of the principle of subsidiarity, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.
Way Forward:
- An extensive information, education and communication will be needed to create a people’s movement for water management.
- Bigger program on water efficiency as energy efficiency – Setting standards for water management.
- Ensuring minimal pollution in both urban areas and industry.
- Fixing water crisis will need well balanced policies, meticulous strategy and a massive amount of public participation.
- Sugarcane consumes a disproportionate amount of water and water-stressed regions must make an effort to move away from the crop.
- Comprehensive restructuring of India’s Central Ground Water Board and the Central Water Commission in order to create a new 21st Century management authority.
- Right to water should mean a high priority to drinking water
Conclusion:
The Water Vision 2047 will be a major step towards improving our people’s ease of living and meeting their aspirations of a New India.
