Save water in strategy for development: Shekhawat

Water demand is at 1,100 bn cubic metres a yr and may rise to 1,447 bn cubic metres by 2050

- Puja Das & Saurav Anand

India should prioritize water conservation to make it an integral part of its development strategy as it emerges as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, jal shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Wednesday.

“With India being one of the fastest growing economies in the world today, it is imperative for the country to show seriousness towards increasing use of water and its conservation to move forward with its developmental pursuit," the minister told the Mint sustainability summit.

India, with 18% of the global population, possesses a mere 4% of the world’s potable clean water resources, setting the stage for a looming crisis. With water demand hovering at 1,100 billion cubic metres (BCM) per year and a projected rise to 1,447 billion cubic metres by 2050, the situation is critical.