Water Security for Viksit Bharat (Developed India)

Water Security for Viksit Bharat (Developed India)

GS Paper 3 | Water Resources | Jal Jeevan Mission | Namami Gange | Sustainable Development

Why in the News? India holds 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of global freshwater resources. As India targets “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, the government has shifted from fragmented water schemes to an integrated water security approach spanning drinking water access, sanitation, groundwater recharge, river conservation, and inter-basin transfer.

India’s Water Resource Reality: Key Statistics

Indicator	Figure
India’s share of world population	18%
India’s share of global freshwater resources	Only 4%
Water used in agriculture	80–85% of total water consumption
Rural households with tap water (2014)	17% (3.23 crore households)
Rural households with tap water (2026)	81%+ (15.8 crore+ households)
JJM target for 100% coverage	2028
Daily time saved for rural women (JJM impact)	~55 crore hours daily

Five Pillars of India’s Water Security Framework

A. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) — Rural Drinking Water

The world’s largest rural drinking water supply programme. Tap water coverage has grown from 17% (2014) to over 81% (2026) — more than 15.8 crore rural households now have functional household tap connections (FHTC). Beyond infrastructure, JJM’s most significant impact is socio-economic: an estimated 55 crore hours of daily time saved for rural women, previously spent fetching water, is now available for education, livelihoods, and child development.

B. Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) — From Sanitation to Health

• Not merely a toilet construction campaign — SBM-G is recognised globally as a model of public participation (“Janbhagidari”)
• WHO estimates SBM-G averted over 3 lakh diarrhoeal deaths between 2014 and 2019
• SBM 2.0 has shifted focus from Open Defecation Free (ODF) status to “ODF Plus” — incorporating solid and liquid waste management at the village level

C. Water Conservation and Groundwater Recharge

• Under “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari,” over 1.55 crore rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge structures built nationwide (as of May 2026)
• Result: decline in over-exploited groundwater blocks in several regions; measurable water table improvement recorded

D. Namami Gange and River Conservation

Indicator	Progress
Sewage treatment capacity developed	4,260 MLD (Million Litres per Day) over the past decade
BOD level (2017)	26 Tons Per Day (TPD)
BOD level (2024)	10.75 TPD — sharp reduction in pollution load
Current status	Ganga water meets bathing water quality standards at most monitoring sites

E. River Interlinking Project — Ken-Betwa

The Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project — India’s first major river interlinking initiative, pending for decades — is now progressing on the ground. It is designed as a lifeline for the chronically drought-prone and arid Bundelkhand region, transferring surplus water from the Ken river basin to the water-deficit Betwa basin.

Key Challenges to Water Security

Challenge	Detail
Climate Change Threat	Changing monsoon patterns and intensifying heatwaves are causing water sources to dry up rapidly — undermining infrastructure gains
Sustainability of Sources	Connecting households to tap water is one challenge; ensuring year-round water availability at the source is a separate, larger challenge
Agricultural Over-Utilisation	80–85% of India’s water goes to agriculture — complete water security is unachievable without improving irrigation efficiency (drip/sprinkler adoption, crop diversification away from water-intensive crops)

UPSC Note GS 3 connection: This topic links water resources with governance (integrated vs. fragmented management), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), federalism (water is a State subject under the Constitution, but inter-state river disputes require central coordination), and climate adaptation.

Practice Question “The challenge of water security in India has not only been about a scarcity of resources but also about their fragmented management.” In light of recent government initiatives, discuss how an integrated water management approach can help achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’. (15 Marks, 250 Words)

Practice MCQ With reference to India’s water security initiatives, consider the following statements: 1. The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections to all rural households by 2028. 2. Under SBM 2.0, the focus has shifted from Open Defecation Free status to ODF Plus status through solid and liquid waste management. 3. The Ken-Betwa Link Project is designed to address water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only   (B) 2 and 3 only   (C) 1 and 3 only   (D) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3 — All three statements are correct based on current government water security initiatives.