Our water challenge is stark. Here are four ways to reimagine the solution, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• India, holding 18% of the world's population, possesses only 4% of its fresh water, with per capita availability dropping from 1,816 cubic meters in 2001 to 1,486 in 2021.
• Rainfall patterns are changing, with 55% of tehsils experiencing over 10% increase in rainfall, while 11% in the Indo-Gangetic plains face critical declines during the sowing season.
• Agriculture consumes nearly 90% of India's water, yet crop water productivity is just $0.52 per cubic meter, and shifting 3.6 million hectares from rice to millets and pulses could save 29 billion cubic meters of water annually.
• Only 28% of urban used water is treated, but a treated used-water economy could unlock a market worth Rs 3.2 lakh crore by 2047 and create over 1 lakh new jobs.

Detailed Insights:

• India's water policy traditionally focuses on blue water (rivers, lakes, aquifers), neglecting the vast reservoir of green water stored in soils, which is vital for rainfed agriculture.
• Transitioning to regenerative agricultural practices like mulching, no-till farming, and cover cropping is necessary to manage green water and protect upstream natural forest cover.
• The Green Revolution made India food-secure but also water-insecure, with procurement and fertilizer subsidies locked into water-intensive rice, draining aquifers and the public exchequer.
• Cities need blue-green infrastructure like wetlands, urban forests, and permeable surfaces to absorb stormwater, slow runoff, and recharge aquifers, with over half of Delhi's water bodies lost to encroachment.
• Reforming water governance requires transparent water accounting, enforceable regulation, and tariffs that move toward cost recovery, leveraging digital public infrastructure for real-time water accounting and bulk water trading.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Blue Water: Fresh surface or groundwater resources like rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
• Green Water: The portion of rainfall stored in the soil and available for use by plants.
• Regenerative Agriculture: Farming practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and enhance water infiltration.