Water in India: situation and prospects

This report attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of water resource development and management in India, based on secondary information and consultations with leading experts, government officials, academicians, activists and grassroot workers. It maps current challenges and suggests feasible alternatives amidst increasing water scarcity and disenfranchisement of resource bases for the poor and the marginalised. It aims at achieving a holistic and dynamic understanding of the level of development around water and looks at the strategic steps required for action. The report encompasses both a depiction of the state of freshwater resources and potential problems and progress towards identified goals, including workable solutions.

There are five key messages in the report

1. The per capita water availability does not take into account the temporal and spatial variability in a vast country like India - new approaches and ways to measuring water availability are required
2. Water demand is far exceeding supply in many instances and leading to inter-sectoral conflicts
3. Water quality problems are rising and need addressing; sanitation is central to this also
4. An analysis of the water sector is incomplete without understanding the key role gender plays - for this we need disaggregated data to be collected and analysed
5. A regime of capacity-building programmes is required for those managing water in India today to deal with present day issues 

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