Question raised in Lok Sabha on Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources, 09/03/2017
Question raised in Lok Sabha on Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources, 09/03/2017. The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro-meteorological, topographical, geological etc. factors and is constant. As per National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) report (year 1999), the total water availability of India as a whole received through precipitation is about 4000 Billion cubic meter (BCM) per annum. After evaporation, 1869 BCM water is available as natural runoff. Due to topographical and other factors, the utilizable water availability is further limited to 1123 BCM per annum. However, water available per person is dependent on population of the country and for India, water availability per capita is reducing progressively due to increase in population. The average annual per capita water availability in the years 2001 and 2011 has been assessed as 1820 cubic meters and 1545 cubic meters respectively which may reduce further to 1341 and 1140 in year 2025 and 2050 as per NCIWRD report indicating thereby a widening gap between demand and availability of water.