Abstract:
Water is a prime natural resource, a basic human need and a precious
national asset. Planning, development and management of water resources need to be
governed by national perspectives. As per the latest assessment (1993), out of the total
precipitation, including snowfall, of around 4000 billion cubic metre in the country, the
availability from surface water and replenishable ground water is put at 1869 billion
cubic metre. Because of topographical and other constraints, about 60% of this i.e. 690
billion cubic metre from surface water and 432 billion cubic metre from ground water,
can be put to beneficial use. Availability of water is highly uneven in both space and
time. Precipitation is confined to only about three or four months in a year and varies
from 100 mm in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 10000 mm at Cherrapunji in
Meghalaya.
Water as a resource is one and indivisible: rainfall, river waters, surface
ponds and lakes and ground water are all part of one system. Water is a scarce and
precious national resource to be planned, developed, conserved and managed as such, and
on an integrated and environmentally sound basis, keeping in view the socio-economic
aspects and needs of the States. It is one of the most crucial elements in developmental
planning.
