A separate Jal Shakti ministry was constituted in 2019 by the Narendra Modi government to focus on water conservation, river cleaning and providing piped water to every rural household by 2024.
At the helm of affairs to achieve the goal is Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who feels addressing water-related issues needs a holistic approach and the Centre is working in this direction.
He talks about policy interventions with Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director, The New Indian Express, and senior journalist Kaveri Bamzai on TNIE’s Expressions, a series of live webcasts with prominent people.
Excerpts:
What was the purpose of a new Jal Shakti ministry and did it require lot of efforts?
I don’t think had to do efforts. Creating an integrated Jal Shakti ministry was the most important reform. For, water is the most critical commodity and we (India) have the second largest population in the world, but only 4 per cent water is available.
Water is a state subject. What are challenges are you facing in this regard?
States are very cooperative but there are some challenges as states have their own driving mechanism. Water is an important issue and none (state governments) can work if they ignore it.
By 2030, water demand will be double the supply in the country. How do we plan to meet the demand? Total water available in 1951 and 2020 is the same and it is because of the increase in population that we face water shortage. Today, we still have 4000 billion cubic metre (BCM) of water but water holding capacity is just 250 BCM. We need to work in this direction.
The challenge is of water management and many countries have managed it very well. Our average rainfall is 1,068 mm and Israel’s is 150 mm but Israel is water surplus and exports water to neighbouring countries. We need to efficiently use water and reuse it also. Only then we will be able to have safe water for our future generations.
Measures to increase water efficiency?
Our water use efficacy in agriculture is a cause of worry. To produce 1kg of rice, we use 5,600 litre of water while the world over 350 litres is used. We also need to rethink our crops as we have a surplus demand of 2 lakh tonne of rice and it is more than our export potential. If we combine sugarcane, rice and cotton, 80 per cent of Maharashtra ‘s agricultural water is used for growing these three crops. Now, Maharashtra and Haryana have announced incentivising schemes.
What about availability of potable water and what is the Centre doing about it?
In our country’s total water consumption, about 65 per cent is ground water and our underground water dependability is huge. Our underground water consumption is 1.5 times of that of the US and China put together. Of the over 6,600 underground water blocks monitored, over 20 per cent are over exploited. It is a cause of worry.
The Atal Bhujal Yojna has been launched in seven states with acute water shortage and for the first time we have planned participatory water management in 79 most critical districts of these states.
River pollution is a big problem. How do you plan to provide clean water?
Sustainability of source has to be ensured along with piped connectivity and in areas where there is no river or underground water is very low, we have to look at bringing water through canals or other means. The 15th finance commission has sanctioned `30,000 crore for piped water project. I am confident we will be able to provide piped water to every household by 2024.
Progress so far in the Ganga cleaning project?
The Namami Gange project has shown big success in waste water cleaning. Who would have thought that no sewage water will be added in Pragayraj? When we talk of Ganga cleaning, we look at the tributaries. Whatever work is happening on Ganga, should be completed in next 12 months.
Shouldn’t rivers be nationalised?
It is a cumulative responsibility. Three committees were created and even the Lok Sabha discussed it and everyone agreed that this (nationalisation) is not the solution. For the Ganga basin, cleaning responsibility is with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and it rests with the Centre. There was a national river conservation directorate (NRCD) which earlier was under the Union environment
ministry but it is now under the Jal Shakti ministry.
What is the model the ministry is looking at for cleaning other polluted rivers? Do we plan to have a national authority like the NMCG?
We will have to make many authorities. The faster they are made, more work will happen.