Page 30 - Mann Ki Baat - English
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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
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