Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario. (UPSC 2020)

India’s water stress is driven by excessive groundwater extraction, inefficient irrigation and rising evaporation losses. With agriculture consuming most freshwater, the answer lies in storing more water locally and using every drop more carefully.

• Expand decentralised storage: Rejuvenate ponds, tanks, village lakes and check dams on a large scale. Community-led works such as Mission Amrit Sarovar should be linked to annual water budgeting at village level.
• Promote rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge: Use rooftop harvesting, recharge pits, percolation tanks and contour bunds in suitable areas. Recharge structures must be based on aquifer maps so that water enters the right strata.
• Adopt conjunctive use: Use surface water and groundwater together in a planned manner. This reduces pressure on overdrawn aquifers and improves resilience during dry spells.
• Modernise canals and command areas: Line canals, shift to underground pipes where feasible, and install regulated outlets to cut seepage and evaporation losses. Automation can ensure fair and timely distribution.
• Scale micro-irrigation: Drip and sprinkler systems should be extended through subsidies, easy credit and farmer training. These methods improve water-use efficiency and raise crop productivity.
• Shift cropping patterns: Discourage water-intensive crops in stress zones and incentivise millets, pulses, oilseeds and less water-demanding varieties. Low-water techniques like SRI and direct seeded rice should be promoted.
• Use technology and pricing: Soil-moisture sensors, SCADA systems and mobile-based advisories can guide irrigation. Rational power and water pricing can reduce wasteful pumping.
• Reuse water: Treated wastewater should be reused for peri-urban farming and non-potable needs.

Thus, a mix of storage, recharge, efficient irrigation, crop diversification and strict local regulation is essential for judicious water use in a depleting scenario.