Year 2013 will be “Water Conservation Year-2013”

Year 2013 will be “Water Conservation Year-2013”

May 22nd, 2013

Government of India will observe Year 2013 “Water Conservation Year” as declared by the Union Cabinet. A number of mass awareness activities will be organized during Water Conservation Year 2013 with stress on sensitizing the masses on water related issues, encourage them to conserve and use it judiciously. Government will launch an effective and sustained mass awareness programme with the involvement of all stakeholders to achieve the objectives identified in the National Water Policy, 2012 and National Water Mission.
Water Facts- India:

• India has more than 18% of the world’s population, but has only 4% of world’s renewable water resources with 2.4% of world’s land area.
• There is uneven distribution of rainfall across different regions of the country like from 10 cm rainfall in Rajasthan to 1000 cm in North Eastern Region.
• Frequent floods and droughts add to these challenges.
• With a growing population and rising needs of a fast developing nation as well as the given indicators of the impact of climate change, per capita availability of water is likely to go down from 1545 cubic metre per year in 2011 to 1341 cubic metre per year in 2025.
• Increasing water demand may result in more disputes among different user groups as drinking water need is going to rise by 44%, irrigation need by 10%, industry need by 81% respectively by 2025.

NOTE: Keeping above problems in view, National Water Policy (2012) was adopted by the National Water Resources Council headed by the Prime Minister. The policy takes into account the existing situation; proposes a framework for building a system of laws and institutions and a plan of action with a unified national perspective.