New Delhi:-The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the implementation of the Human Resources Development and Capacity Building Scheme in the Ministry of Water Resources, with a total financial outlay of Rs. 351 crore during the 12th Plan period. This scheme proposes to generate awareness about water use efficiency, conservation and management of water by targeting various stakeholders including general public, school children, agriculturists, industrialists and other water users.
Existing training institutions will be strengthened. They include National Water Academy (NWA), Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training & Research Institute (RGI), North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management, Tezpur (NERIWALM), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Central Water Commission (CWC) and also officers of the Central and State Governments.
Background:
Water is a basic human need and a precious national resource. The average annual potential of utilizable water in the country remains constant at 1,121 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) (690 BCM surface water and 431 BCM ground water). However, the demand for water is rising rapidly with an estimated requirement of 1,180 BCM by the year 2050.
Supply side management has limitations since most of the options of harnessing available water have already been utilized and the incremental cost of harnessing newer sources like desalination entails higher costs. Demand side management could be improved by enhancing water use efficiency in the field of agriculture, industry and domestic water supply.
Thus, there is an urgent need to create an awareness among the people to conserve and make judicious use of available water. This necessitates sensitizing people on optimal utilisation of water resources and upgradation of capacities and capabilities of all stakeholders.
