This draft report by the Planning Commission, which presents an approach to the twelfth five year plan among other things outlines some of the challenges related to agriculture, natural resources management and water resources management. The concerns related to water resources management discussed at length in the report have been summarized below -
Some recommendations provided in the report are -
Maintenance of Surface Water Bodies:
Concerted efforts are needed to engage in the process of de‐siltation and restitution of the water bodies, through treatment of their catchment areas so that they can play the fruitful purpose of providing capacity to store rainwater, provide water for drinking and other purposes and lend themselves to fisheries.
Ground Water Management:
Ground water management would entail expansion of the scope of rainwater harvesting and ground water recharge by converging the MGNREGA with the Integrated Watershed Management Programme.
Aquifer Mapping:
Since groundwater is the main source of water in India, special emphasis is needed on obtaining an accurate picture of groundwater resources, including a comprehensive mapping of our aquifers at a watershed scale, with their storage and transmission characteristics.
Stakeholder Aquifer Management:
Based on the aquifer mapping exercise, we need to develop sustainable groundwater management plans for each aquifer. This requires action on the ground involving partnerships of stakeholders at the village‐level with hydro‐geologists and social mobilizers, who would guide collective sharing and sequential use of groundwater.
Reforms in Major and Medium Irrigation
Pricing and Regulatory Changes for Ground Water
Water Requirements of Industry and Urban Centres
Download the report here -