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The government of India designed the National Water Policy for the optimum and judicious utilisation, management and conservation of water resources in the country. The main features of the policy are given in the following paras:
According to one estimate, out of the total precipitation of about 400 million hectare metres in the country, only 178 million hectare metres is the available surface waler. Out of this, about 50 per cent can be put to beneficial use because of topographical and other features. Moreover, there is a ground water potential of about 42 million hectare metres. The distribution of water resource as stated above is highly uneven in terms of both space and time. Precipitation over the greater part of the country is seasonal, mainly concentrated to three or four months of the rainy season. It varies from about 20 cm in Ganganagar (western Rajasthan) to over 1000 cm at Mawsynram (Meghalaya). Hence, there is a water surplus in one part of the country and water deficit in another part. The National Water Policy proposes to evolve a national water grid for the proper management and utilisation of the water of the country. The main objective of the policy is to provide water from the surplus areas to the deficit areas. The national water policy proposes to initiate investigation for a national plan for inter- basin transfer for water from the water surplus areas to the water deficit areas. Its aims are enumerated below;
1. Water is a primary natural resource, a basic human need and a precious national asset. Hence, the planning and development of water resources need to be governed by national perspective.
2. The National Water Policy aims at planning the surface water resources of the country on the basis of hydrological units such as drainage basin as a whole for a sub-basin. This will ensure an optimum utilisation of the water resources of the country.
3. There is an increasing demand of water for irrigation, industries and domestic uses. The national water policy aims at taking suitable measures for proper management and conservation of water resources of the country, minimising losses at the storage and diversion points in the distribution system.
4. The policy aims to reduce water pollution and to improve the quality of water of the rivers. There is an emphasis on the recycling of water also.
5. It proposes an adequate maintenance of canals and distribution systems by making adequate financial allocations for maintenance of canals and their distributaries.
6. It suggests a detailed survey for the preparation of new projects on priority basis for tribal areas, drought prone areas as well as for the economically weaker sections of society.
7. The policy lays emphasis on the supply of good quality drinking water to rural areas besides meeting the needs of the urban areas.
8. It proposes a proper survey of the underground water resources and how to utilise them judiciously. The conservation and recharging of ground water is also a priority of the national water policy.
9. The policy also focuses attention on devising suitable strategies for such problems as waterlogging, salinisation, degradation of fertile arable lands, deteriorating water quality, over exploitation of ground water resources, and uprooting of families due to development projects.
10. The policy also aims at reducing the runoff, soil erosion and silting of river beds.