Question

Water availability per person in India is declining
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint: Water availability refers to the quantity of water that can be used for human and other various purposes without causing any significant harm to the ecosystem or other users.

Complete answer:
Water availability per person is dependent on the population of a country and for a country like India, the per capita availability of water is reducing due to an increase in population. Between the years 2001 to 2011, the average annual per capita water availability was assessed as 1816 and 1545 cubic meters respectively. During the years 2021 and 2031 it is estimated that about 1486 and 3617 cubic meters can be reduced.
As per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, about 135 liters per capita per day has been suggested as the benchmark for urban water supply, and for the rural areas, a supply of liters per capita day has been fixed under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
As per the report of the National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development, the percentage of water used for irrigation out of the total water usage during the year 1997 to 1998 was 83.30%. Further, as per the report of NCIWRD, the percentage of water used for irrigation for the total use of water is estimated to have a high rise with 72.48%.
So, the correct answer is Option A.

Note: Water scarcity can be maintained by conserving monsoon rains to overcome water shortage in the country. The issues of water conservation can be converted into a mass movement, initiating funding programs, implementation and maintenance of water supply schemes, and also ensure that the government provides technical and financial assistance to states for the availability of safe drinking water.