Chief Economist Devendra Pant believes that a scarcity of water could harm India’s economic progress.
In a recent remark, India Ratings’ Chief Economist, Devendra Pant, underlined the importance of tackling water shortages and waste. Pant believes that shortage of water will have a significant impact on agriculture, electricity, and industry. He emphasised that the issue is a significant concern that both the people and the government must address, and that dismissing it as temporary or trivial would be foolish.
Pant underlined that urgent action is required to improve water management in India, a country with limited water resources. He pointed out that, despite the fact that storage systems have been created, a substantial amount of monsoon rainfall is lost to the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal after only 80 to 100 hours. This demonstrates the inefficiency of utilising monsoon rainfall, which is crucial for addressing the increasing water needs caused by rising incomes and changing lifestyles.
Water limitations have an immediate influence on the availability of drinking water, which is followed by agriculture. Although irrigation intensity has increased, insufficient water storage in reservoirs diminishes these gains. Pant also cited the production of seeds that can endure fluctuating water conditions, although these advances are still in the experimental stage and are not generally adopted throughout the country.
Pant’s statements highlight the gravity of India’s water situation and the urgent need for comprehensive steps to ensure sustainable water management, which is critical for the country’s economic growth.