Agriculture
Desalination: The next sweetener
India is at an exciting stage as far as the market for water and wastewater treatment is concerned. What presents a conundrum for the government is that the remarkable economic growth has presented difficulties in sharing water resources among three key sectors: agricultural, domestic, and industrial, notes Frost & Sullivan. It is apparent that balancing available water resources to meet the requirements of all three sectors is recommended in the National Water Policy 2002, as well as in the newly-drafted National Water Mission.
Estimates by the Ministry of Water Resources indicate that by year 2050, India's overall water demand will double, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 1.5 per cent. The industry segment will clock the fastest rate of demand for water at a CAGR of 4.2 percent.
High demand for water brings forth the urgent need for effective management and development of water resources using methods like inter-basin water transfers, artificial recharge of aquifers, desalinisation of brackish water, traditional water conservation practices like rainwater harvesting, good maintenance of irrigation systems, and promoting efficiency through drip/sprinklers. It is categorical to emphasise that desalination can narrow the lacunae between water demand and supply.
Middle Eastern countries which are officially labeled as waterstressed with per capita renewable water resources much below the critical level of 1,000 cubic metres (Cu. M), have successfully applied the desalination technology. India's water issues are, to a large extent, manmade due to excessive withdrawal of ground and surface water without any regulatory policy, pollutants contaminating the available water resources, and inefficient irrigation mechanisms. Today, the Middle East, with about 30 million Cu. M/day, represents about half of the world's installed capacities for desalination. India's share in the world stands at mere 450,000-500,000 Cu. M/day, but the country has potential to garner a much larger share of the global desalination capacity in the next 10 years.
Growth of desalination plants in India is expected to gain pace, if the local and state governments implement appropriate action plans by leveraging funding from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Desalination should be a major plank if the objectives enshrined under India's National Water Mission are to be met in toto. To have maximum impact, the government has identified guidelines to develop robust public-private partnerships and offered monetary incentives to states and urban local bodies. Another strategy on the table was to offer tax breaks to industrial users for saving water. A policy such as this is long overdue in India. It could boost the market for recycle and reuse technologies like membrane bioreactors and desalination, as the ultimate goal is to reduce dependence on fragile and dwindling ground water and surface water resources.
The government can also contemplate issuing tradable certificates, akin to carbon emission reduction credits, so that industries saving water can sell their certificates to industries consuming more water
source-projectsmonitor.com
-
Agricultural Sector Of Indian Economy
India's economy the most important part of India's agricultural world. In India, the agricultural working class, the only means left about two thirds. Financial year 2006-07 as economic data, it was stated that 18 percent agriculture, India's...
-
Agriculture In India
PART-I India is a country in all its fascinating contrasts and striking features is that it leaves is a fascinating one with beholds! Agriculture is not only India but also the people of the country major businesses is one of the most important economic...
-
India: Priorities For Agriculture And Rural Development
BACKGROUND Although agriculture in India, Avenue of Stars of GDP only 21% of contribution, its importance in the country, economic, social and political structure of the Avenue of Stars, but still exceeds the target. Still at home in the rural areas...
-
Indian Seed Sector
Introduction: The simplest and the most important permanent seed investment in agriculture. Other seed quality in response to inputs to a large extent fixed. It is estimated that only 15 percent of high-quality seeds of the total production - contributed...
-
Recharge Of Groundwater In Punjab
?Water? is a State subject, therefore, State Governments are primarily responsible for taking necessary measures for ground water management. As per information received from the State Government, following measures have been taken by Government of Punjab...
Agriculture