Model Answer

India supports nearly 18% of the world's population with only about 4% of global freshwater resources. Rapid urbanisation, groundwater depletion and climate variability have transformed water scarcity into a multidimensional challenge affecting economic growth, food security and public health.

Causes of water scarcity

1. Over-extraction of groundwater has depleted aquifers. e.g.: India is the world's largest extractor of groundwater.
2. Climate change has increased rainfall variability, droughts and extreme weather. e.g.: Delayed monsoons and recurring droughts across several states.
3. Inefficient agricultural practices consume excessive water. e.g.: Paddy and sugarcane cultivation in water-stressed regions.
4. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have widened the gap between water demand and supply.
5. Poor governance and pollution reduce the availability of usable freshwater. e.g.: Untreated sewage and industrial effluents contaminating rivers and lakes.

Consequences of water scarcity

1. Threatens food security by reducing agricultural productivity and increasing irrigation stress.
2. Impacts economic growth, as water-dependent sectors contribute significantly to employment and GDP.
3. Triggers health crises through inadequate access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
4. Intensifies inter-state and local conflicts over sharing of scarce water resources. e.g.: Cauvery and Krishna river disputes.
5. Accelerates ecological degradation through falling groundwater tables, drying wetlands and biodiversity loss.

Way Forward

1. Adopt Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) using a river basin approach.
2. Promote micro-irrigation, crop diversification, wastewater recycling and rainwater harvesting to improve water-use efficiency.
3. Strengthen initiatives such as Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and implement scientific groundwater management with community participation.

Water scarcity is no longer a question of insufficient rainfall alone but of sustainable governance and efficient resource management. Achieving SDG 6 requires treating water as a strategic national resource through conservation, institutional reforms and climate-resilient planning.