Beyond the Jal Shakti Abhiyan

Context: Given the state of the water crisis and skewed rainfall distribution in India, we require to take steps beyond Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) phase-II for water conservation.

Need for adopting urgent water conservation methods:

• State of water crisis: Projections by the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
  • Nearly 600 million Indians are facing “high to extreme” water stress, likely to double by 2030.
  • About 22 % of groundwater has either dried up or is in the critical category. 
  • India might lose nearly 6 % of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2050 due to water-related factors.
• Skewed rainfall distribution: Around 88 cm of 117-120 cm (annual area-weighted average rainfall in India) comes in the main monsoon season of just four months (June to September).

Positive aspects of JSA phase-II: A step taken for water conservation.

• Longer duration of the programme: Earlier, water conservation measures were taken up during the monsoon season, but JSA phase-II also covers pre-monsoon season, which is suitable for building or renovating rainwater collection infrastructure.
• A people-driven programme: This type of programme was successful in the past in semi-arid areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and their key components were water storage structures like Tankis (in homes), Tankas (in villages), Bowlies (step-wells).
• In situ capturing and preserving rainwater approach: as reflected in the campaign’s motto: “Catch the rain where it falls and when it falls.” 
  • This is fine-tuned version of the earlier slogan: “Khet ka pani khet mein; gaon ka pani gaon mein”, meaning preserving rainwater falling in crop fields and villages in these respective places.
  • This helps to meet off-season contingencies in farms and villages, augments water availability in low-rainfall areas, and increase growth in crop productivity.
  • A major concern is that only a few states actually put this concept into practice.

Way forward: Many meteorologists and hydrologists believe that India is not an innately water-deficient nation. It is the indiscriminate splurging of water that has made it so. Following measures can be considered:

• Prudent management of water resources: Step up the level of trapping, suitably conserving and efficiently utilising the available rainwater.
• Campaigns like JSA should sustain for years: Rather than launching as occasional water conservation drives.