A UN report warns of “water bankruptcy,” where withdrawals exceed natural recharge. India, with 17% of the global population but 4% of freshwater, faces rising stress. Climate change and governance failures worsen crises like Bengaluru’s. Solutions include integrated water management, sponge cities, efficient irrigation, and revived harvesting systems.
Click to View MoreThe Jal Jeevan Mission has rapidly expanded tap water infrastructure in rural
India, achieving near-universal coverage of household connections. However,
recent assessments show that actual water supply, reliability, and quality lag
behind coverage figures, with many households not receiving regular or safe
water. Issues such as groundwater depletion, weak operation and
maintenance, and water contamination remain key challenges. The focus now
needs to shift from infrastructure creation to ensuring sustainable, reliable, and
community-managed rural drinking water services.
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