The Indian economy can be expressed in terms of the agricultural development. Agriculture is the major water consuming sector.  The country faces major challenge of feeding its burgeoning population, which is to be over 1.4 billion by 2010 AD. With the average per capita food grains consumption being barely sufficient to minimum daily nutritional requirements, the country face a formidable task to satisfy the hunger of millions besides maintaining and improving the health standard and also quality of life. The potential of increasing the area under crops is limited as agricultural land resources are inelastic.  Intensive agriculture, rapid urbanization and rise in standard of living increased the demand for water considerably over the last 25 years and will rise further in coming years.

 

Of the worlds water resources 97.5% is salt water and remaining 2.5% is fresh water. Of this only 0.3% is renewable through an annual hydrologic cycle. In India the availability of water (both surface and subsurface waters) vary extremely in the various regions of the country. The main source of replenishment of water annually is rainfall infiltration, which exhibits a large-scale variation temporally and spatially. About 90% of rainfall is available only in 3-4 monsoon months. This too varies widely from 100 mm in western parts of the country to 11000mm in eastern part. Intense rainstorms are enhancing the problems of land degradation, reservoir sedimentations, nutrient loss and results in flash floods. Water either in excess or scarcity caused considerable hardships to the users.  In addition to the quantity, the quality of surface and ground-tapped potentials are being polluted in many pockets of the country which causes the resources unfit for sustaining ecosystems or for direct use. Today there is an inescapable need for the country to develop, conserve, utilize and manage this scarce and precious natural resource on an integrated and environmentally sound basis.  Information, education and regulation are necessary to ensure the sustainability of water supply sources. Appropriate legislation and its effective implementation should also form an integral part of the strategy. The judicious application of scientific developments clubbed with appropriate technological options could enrich the economy of the country and improve the quality of life.

 

The researchers, decision makers and non-governmental organizations should pay attention and should work untidily to develop integrated management strategies for sustainable use of water resources of the nation. The deliberations in the conference will suggest suitable recommendations and policy decisions for enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of ongoing and forthcoming water resources conservation and management programs taking into cognizance both the quantity and quality.