Water Budgeting: NITI Aayog Report on Water Security

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) Water Budgeting in Aspiration Blocks will enhance local water security, a report by government think tank NITI Aayog has stated.

The Aayog in the report titled "Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks", further said 18 aspirational blocks across 11 states covering multiple agro-climatic zones were assessed for water budgeting, marking a significant effort to take forward local water budgeting for effective water management.

According to an official statement, the report was released by the Member, NITI Aayog V. K. Paul.

The statement said the report aligns with the Prime Minister's vision for 'Viksit Bharat@2047', emphasising the necessity for sustainable and equitable water security across diverse landscapes of India.

Highlighting the key aspects of the report, the member suggested taking forward the exercise further to carry out steps involving community to improve the water availability situation through measurable outputs for better livelihood outcomes through access to water and resulting better health.

The water budgeting exercise uses a web-based platform, Varuni, to enhance the block-level water security planning and for integrated water management.

It provides a structured approach for estimating water demand across key sectors: human, livestock, agriculture, and industry, while accounting for supplies from multiple sources such as runoff, surface water, groundwater, and water transfers.

The report highlights the need for adopting customised strategies across 18 Aspirational Blocks with different endowments of water availability.

These blocks, spread across eight agro-climatic zones of the country in 11 states offered a window into the heterogeneity of water resources challenges.

The water budget provides insights for each block related to its water demand-supply scenario, challenges and recommendations and identifying suitable measures for enhancing water security.

NITI Aayog collaborated with GIZ India to prepare the report.