Need for future development of water resources

The population of India has been estimated to stabilize by about 2050 A.D. By that time, the present population of about 1000 million has been projected to be about 1800 million (considering the low, medium and high estimates of 1349 million 1640 million and 1980 million respectively). The present food grain availability of around 525 grams per capita per day is also presumed to rise to about 650 grams, considering better socio-economic lifestyle (which is much less than the present figures of 980 grams and 2850 grams per capita per day for China and U.S.A., respectively). Thus, the annual food grain requirement for India is estimated to be about 430 MT. Since the present food grain production is just sufficient for the present population, it is imperative that additional area needs to be brought under cultivation. This has been estimated to be 130 Mha for food crop alone and 160 Mha for all crops to meet the demands of the country by 2050 A.D.

Along with the inevitable need to raise food production, substantial thrust should be directed towards water requirement for domestic use. The national agenda for governance aims to ensure provision of potable water supply to every individual in about five years time. The National Water Policy (2002) has accorded topmost water allocation priority to drinking water. Hence, a lot of technological intervention has to be made in order to implement the decision. But this does not mean that unlimited funds would be allocated for the drinking water sector. Only 20% of urban demand is meant for consumptive use . A major concern will therefore be the treatment of urban domestic effluents.

Major industrial thrust to steer the economy is only a matter of time. By 2050, India expects to be a major industrial power in the world. Industry needs water fresh or recycled. Processing industries depend on abundance of water. It is estimated that 64 cubic km of water will be needed by 2050 A.D. to sustain the industries. Thermal power generation needs water including a small part that is consumptive. Taking into account the electric power scenario in 2050 A.D., energy related requirement (evaporation and consumptive use) is estimated at 150 cubic km.

Note:

Consumptive use: Consumptive use is the amount of water lost in evapotranspiration from vegetation and its surrounding land to the atmosphere, inclusive of the water used by the plants for building their tissues and to carry on with their metabolic processes. Evapo-transpiration is the total water lost to the atmosphere from the vegetative cover on the land, along with the water lost from the surrounding water body or land mass.