India is grappling with a water crisis. It must act now

Indian Express

25-06-2025

India is grappling with a water crisis that threatens its economic stability, food security, and public health. With 18 per cent of the world's population but only 4 per cent of its freshwater resources, India faces severe water stress, intensified by the relentless impacts of climate change. The NITI Aayog's 2018 Composite Water Management Index warned that 600 million Indians experience high to extreme water stress, and by 2030, water demand could outstrip supply by twofold. The World Resources Institute ranks India 13th among the 17 most water-stressed nations globally, with groundwater levels depleting at an alarming rate — over 60 per cent of irrigated agriculture and 85 per cent of drinking water depend on it. The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report revealed that 70 per cent of India's water sources are contaminated, posing risks to health and livelihoods. Why, then, do we continue with fragmented policies and half-hearted measures when water is the lifeblood of our nation's progress?
Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present-day crisis reshaping India's water landscape. Erratic monsoons, critical to 55 per cent of India's agriculture, have become increasingly unpredictable. A 2024 Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study found that 55 per cent of tehsils experienced a 10 per cent increase in heavy rainfall over the past decade, triggering floods that devastate crops and infrastructure. Conversely, 33 per cent of India's land is drought-prone, with soil moisture declining in 48 per cent of its geographical area, as per a 2024 Conscious Planet study. Rising temperatures accelerate glacial melt in the Himalayas, threatening the long-term flow of rivers like the Ganga and Indus, which sustain millions. The World Bank projects that climate-induced water scarcity could reduce India's GDP by up to 12 per cent by 2050, potentially resulting in billions of dollars in economic losses.
Agriculture, consuming 80 per cent of India's water, is particularly vulnerable to these shifts. The Economic Survey 2018-19 highlighted that a 100mm drop in rainfall reduces farmer incomes by 15 per cent during kharif and 7 per cent during rabi seasons. Climate change could further erode agricultural incomes by 15-18 per cent on average, and up to 25 per cent in unirrigated areas, which cover nearly half of India's farmland. Yet, inefficient irrigation practices and water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane dominate.
Micro-irrigation, which could save up to 50 per cent of water, is used on only 9 per cent of cultivated land despite government subsidies. The Atal Bhujal Yojana, a World Bank-backed initiative, promotes community-led groundwater management in seven water-stressed states, covering 8,000 gram panchayats. While promising, its scale is dwarfed by the crisis.
Urban India faces its own water woes. Cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi have become symbols of urban water distress. The 2019 Chennai water crisis, when reservoirs dried up, left millions scrambling for water. NITI Aayog predicts that 21 cities, impacting 100 million people, could exhaust groundwater by 2030.
Public health is another casualty of water insecurity. Contaminated water, with 70 per cent of sources polluted, claims 2,00,000 lives annually from waterborne diseases, as per NITI Aayog's 2018 data. Fluoride and arsenic contamination affect 230 million people across 19 states, while untreated sewage pollutes rivers like the Yamuna, rendering them unfit for use. The World Bank's 'One Health' framework, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, could save billions annually by reducing disease burdens. Yet, its implementation remains sluggish.
Building climate resilience demands bold, integrated action. The National Water Mission aims to boost water use efficiency by 20 per cent by 2025, but lacks robust baseline data to track progress. Water accounting, as proposed by CEEW, could quantify savings and redirect water to critical sectors. Financial tools like climate bonds and India's Green Credit Programme, launched in 2023, could bridge the adaptation funding gap, which was a mere ₹260 per capita in 2019-20 compared to ₹2,200 for mitigation. The World Bank's $1 billion dam rehabilitation program, modernising 300 large dams, and the Asian Development Bank's $50 million loan for water-harvesting in Meghalaya are steps forward. However, the global water financing gap, estimated at $6.7 trillion by 2030, requires private sector involvement, as seen in countries like Chile and Peru.
Community participation is the cornerstone of sustainable water management. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan's push for rainwater harvesting has revived 1,50,000 water bodies since 2019, but awareness and local engagement remain low. Women, who often bear the burden of fetching water, must be central to decision-making. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), combining nature-based solutions like wetland restoration with technologies like real-time water monitoring, could ensure equitable access. Aligning water, energy, and climate policies is critical to avoid siloed approaches. For instance, solar-powered irrigation could reduce groundwater overuse while cutting carbon emissions.
India's water crisis is a clarion call for systemic change. A water-secure economy is the foundation of climate resilience, safeguarding agriculture, urban growth, and public health. The question is not whether we have the tools to act, but whether we have the will to act swiftly and decisively. With 1.4 billion futures at stake, delay is not an option.
The writer is Special Advisor for South Asia at Parley Policy Initiative, Republic of Korea