Water Governance In India

After Reading This Article You Can Solve This UPSC Mains Model Question:

India’s water crisis is fundamentally a crisis of governance rather than mere scarcity. Examine the current water governance framework in India and discuss the major challenges associated with sustainable water management. 15 marks (GS-2, Governance)

Introduction

India supports nearly 18% of the global population while possessing only about 4% of the world’s freshwater resources, making efficient management of water resources critically important for ensuring food security, economic growth, social stability, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience.

Current Water Governance Framework in India

1. Constitutional Provisions

Seventh Schedule (Distribution of Power):

• State List (Entry 17): States have jurisdiction over water supplies, irrigation, canals, drainage, embankments, water storage, and water power.
• Union List (Entry 56): The Centre has the power to regulate and develop inter-state rivers and river valleys if Parliament declares it to be in the public interest.
• Article 262 (Adjudication of Disputes): Parliament can by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute with respect to the use, distribution, or control of the waters of any inter-state river or river valley. It can also bar the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in such matters.

2. Key Specialized Agencies:

• Central Water Commission (CWC): The apex technical organization for surface water, responsible for flood forecasting, river conservation, and irrigation project design.
• Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): Manages and monitors groundwater levels and quality across the country.
• National Water Development Agency (NWDA): The primary body for the Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) projects (e.g., Ken-Betwa link).
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): The implementation arm of the “Namami Gange” program, focusing on river rejuvenation.

3. Legal Framework

The legal landscape consists of several key acts that regulate usage and pollution:

• Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956: Provides the legal mechanism to establish Tribunals to resolve river-sharing conflicts.
• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974: Created the CPCB and SPCBs to prevent water contamination.
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: An “umbrella” legislation under which the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was established to regulate groundwater extraction.

Key Government Initiatives for Water Management

• Jal Jeevan Mission (Rural & Urban): Aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households in India by 2024 (Rural) and 2026 (Urban).
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL): A World Bank-funded scheme focused on community-led sustainable groundwater management in identified water-stressed blocks across seven Indian states.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Focuses on “Har Khet Ko Pani” (water for every field) and improving water-use efficiency through “Per Drop More Crop” via micro-irrigation technologies.
• Namami Gange Programme: An Integrated Conservation Mission to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the National River Ganga.
• National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM): A massive project aimed at mapping India’s aquifers to facilitate decentralized groundwater management and scientific planning of recharge structures.

Key Issues Associated with Water Management in India

1. Over-Exploitation of Groundwater: India is the world’s largest consumer of groundwater, extracting more than the US and China combined, primarily due to subsidized electricity and lack of a robust regulatory framework for private tube-wells.
2. Inefficient Irrigation Practices: Agriculture consumes nearly 90% of available water, yet flood irrigation remains the norm, leading to massive wastage and low “crop-per-drop” productivity compared to global drip-irrigation standards.
3. Fragmented Institutional Governance: Water management is split between multiple central and state bodies (CWC, CGWB, and State Departments), creating administrative silos that hinder the implementation of a unified “source-to-tap” integrated water strategy.
4. Water Quality and Contamination: Industrial effluents, untreated urban sewage, and agricultural runoff have contaminated major river systems and aquifers with heavy metals, arsenic, and nitrates, rendering much of the accessible water unfit for consumption.
5. Inter-State River Disputes: The constitutional ambiguity between State and Union lists has led to protracted legal battles over river-sharing (e.g., Cauvery and Yamuna), preventing the holistic development of river basins across administrative boundaries.
6. Climate Change and Hydrological Volatility: Shifting monsoon patterns and melting Himalayan glaciers are causing an increase in “extreme events,” leading to a cycle of devastating floods and prolonged droughts that exceed the design capacity of existing infrastructure.

Measures India Can Adopt for Effective Water Management

1. Shift to Demand-Side Management: Transitioning from supply-augmentation (dams/canals) to demand-side efficiency through water-use audits and rationalized pricing can curb the unchecked extraction seen in the industrial and domestic sectors.
2. Promotion of “Sahi Fasal” and Crop Diversification: Incentivizing farmers to shift from water-guzzling crops like paddy and sugarcane to climate-resilient millets and pulses can drastically reduce the 89% water-load currently borne by the agricultural sector.
3. Adoption of the “Sponge Cities” Concept: Integrating permeable pavements, urban wetlands, and bioswales into city planning allows for natural rainwater absorption, effectively reducing urban flooding while simultaneously recharging depleted local aquifers.
4. Institutional Integration (National Water Commission): Merging the Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board into a single unified body, as suggested by the Mihir Shah Committee, would enable a holistic “one water” approach to surface and groundwater.
5. Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions (NbS): Implementing large-scale watershed management, afforestation, and the restoration of traditional water bodies (like Johads and Baolis) provides low-cost, decentralized solutions for drought-proofing rural landscapes.
6. Circular Water Economy and Mandatory Reuse: Enforcing the mandatory treatment and reuse of urban wastewater for non-potable purposes (industrial cooling/gardening) can bridge the growing gap between freshwater demand and its finite availability.

Conclusion

India must pivot toward a circular water economy, integrating digital monitoring and community-led conservation. By harmonizing institutional frameworks and climate-resilient infrastructure, India can ensure permanent water security, powering its transition into a sustainable global superpower.