Team GSRN | April 13, 2025
New Delhi: India is approaching a critical water crisis, with new research warning that by 2050, over 50% of the country’s districts may face severe water scarcity. Experts say that unless immediate and large-scale action is taken, the government could see widespread disruptions in agriculture, urban water supply, and public health.
According to a joint study by the DCM Shriram Foundation and Sattva Knowledge Institute, India’s water demand is projected to increase by 30% by 2050, while per capita water availability is expected to decline by 15%. With 76% of the population already experiencing water stress, the crisis is worsening faster than anticipated.
The Jal Shakti Ministry, in a recent response in the Rajya Sabha, confirmed that India’s annual per capita water availability will fall to 1,367 cubic meters by 2030, well below the global water stress threshold of 1,700 cubic meters.
Metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi are experiencing severe water supply issues. Bengaluru is currently dealing with a daily shortage of nearly 200 million liters. Meanwhile, in agrarian states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, excessive extraction has caused groundwater levels to plummet to dangerous lows. Rural communities are also struggling. In Bundelkhand, a drought-prone region across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, local women-led groups like the Jal Sahelis have taken the initiative to restore water bodies in over 200 villages. Their grassroots efforts have helped revive traditional ponds and step wells, improving local water security.
Experts attribute the crisis to a combination of climate change, unsustainable agricultural practices, poor water infrastructure, and urban overuse. India extracts more groundwater than any other country in the world nearly 25% of the global total, most of which is used for water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane. The lack of rainwater harvesting, pollution of natural water bodies, and unplanned urbanization further raise the issue.
Dr. Ramesh Sharma, a water policy expert, said, “We need urgent reforms in water use, better irrigation technology, and most importantly, strong public awareness.”
Sunita Devi, a Jal Saheli from Jhansi, emphasized the power of local action: “We were tired of waiting for help. So, we cleaned the village pond ourselves and started collecting rainwater. Now, for the first time in years, we didn’t run out of water this summer.”
The Government of India has launched several initiatives, such as Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Har Ghar Jal, which aim to improve water conservation and ensure rural access to clean water. If current trends continue, India could face a national water emergency.
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