The government would provide clean drinking water to every household of the country by 2024, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat said on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha.
Besides, the government would also undertake and promote steps for water conservation and curbing extraction of underground water, which is depleting the water table and is a matter of concern, the minister said.
The minister was replying to a short duration discussion in the Upper House on water crisis in the country during which members suggested a slew of steps like river interlinking, district-specific blueprint for water conservation and speedy approval for rainwater harvesting projects.
Leaders fom Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra highlighted the plight of the people, with CPI-M's T K Rangarajan saying "gold is cheaper than water" in Chennai.
"We would try to provide drinking to every household of this country by 2024," said Shekhawat and lauded the steps taken by governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra for conservation of water.
"With their efforts, they (both states) have now come in the water balanced state category," Shekhawat said adding that other states should also promote such schemes.
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The government is also considering reuse of water from the category of black water and grey water.
He also stressed the need to promote crops which consumes less water.
"In India to produce one kg of rice, around 5,600 liters of water is spent, while in China it is only 350 liters," Shekhawat said.
According to him, at present only five per of the total water available is used for drinking purpose, 15 per cent by the industry and rest 80 per cent is used by for agricultural purpose.
States such as Maharashtra are now permitting use of drip irrigation for sugarcane crops, while Haryana is incentivising farmers for growing crops other than rice, he added.
The minister also requested the member of parliaments to spend money from their MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) on water conservation projects in their constituencies and areas.
While participating into the debate Husain Dalwai of Congress said that people in Maharashtra are facing acute water shortage and are depending on supply from tankers.
Vishambhar Nishad of SP said that studies about water crisis should be added to the school curriculum and students should be made aware about the issue.
He said Bundelkhand area is facing acute water shortage in districts as Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirput, Mahoba.
DMK's R S Bharathi said that water should be brought under the concurrent list of the Constitution and government should work on river interlinking projects.
Lal Singh Vadodia asked the government to promote micro irrigation, drip irrigation techniques as done in countries like Israel, which receive less rains.
Initiating the debate, AAP leader Sanjay Singh urged the central government to approve a rain water harvesting project near Yamuna proposed by the Delhi Government, cautioning that the national capital could face a water crisis in 2020.
"We have proposed rain water storage project... but we need central government support otherwise there would be big water crisis in Delhi in 2020," he said.
He informed the House that the AAP government in Delhi increased drinking water availability to 88 per cent from 55 per cent four-and-a-half years ago.
"Still 12 per cent people don't get drinking water in Delhi. Therefore rain water storage project is required. Delhi used to get 990 MGD (million gallon per day) water in 1996-97 and after 23 years the sanctioned water is 900MGD."