Page 30 - Mann Ki Baat - English
P. 30

Catch the Rain: India’s Drive

                   Toward Water Security






                                          address water insecurity through
                                          locally led climate adaptation.
                                              India’s connection to water
                                          dates to ancient civilisations,
                                          with settlements like those along
                                          the Ganga and Indus rivers
                                          flourishing  due  to  proximity  to
                                          water bodies. Traditional water
                                          management systems such as
                                          stepwells, tanks, baolis, khadin,
                 Alok K. Sikka            etc.  were  developed,  reflecting
            Country Representative        a  deep cultural  reverence  for
           (India), International Water   water. India now faces significant
             Management Institute,
                                          water security challenges due to
                  New Delhi
                                          increased  agricultural  demand,
                                          rapid    population    growth,
                                          urbanisation,  industrialisation
            The marginal increase in      and climate change. Over-
        groundwater recharge and the      reliance on groundwater and
        decline in overall groundwater    its  unsustainable  use   are
        extraction over two consecutive   resulting in rapid depletion of
        years (2021-22 and 2022-23),      groundwater.  Inadequate  water
        revival of streams and enhanced   management,        decreasing
        availability of surface water in   per capita water availability,
        local water bodies at number      and   climate  change    have
        of places, can be attributed to   aggravated the water insecurity,
        the impact of the 'Catch the      underscoring the urgent need for
        Rain' campaign. This has not      reforms in water conservation.
        only instilled the understanding   The ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign
        about the value of conserving     aims to tackle these issues by
        rainwater amongst the masses      promoting rainwater  harvesting
        but also sparked optimism that    and conservation.
        with sustained,  community-led        Launched by the Prime
        efforts,  water  resources  can  be   Minister Narendra Modi, the
        effectively managed to help       ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign


                                      26
                                      26
   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35