The National Water Policy adopted in April 2002 aims at :
(a) providing framework for water resource planning.
(b) integrated water resource development.
(c) linking rivers from north to rivers in south.
(d) ground water management.
Answer options :
(1) (a) and (b) only are correct
(2) (c) and (d) only are correct
(3) (a), (b) and (d) only are correct
(4) All of these are correct
Answers
India accounts for 18% of the world population and about 4% of the world’s water resources. One of the solutions to solve the country’s water woes is to link the rivers.
India has been successful in creating live water storage capacity of about 253 billion cubic meter(BCM) so far. In a first, the ecological needs of river have also been taken into consideration.
The major provisions under the policy are:
Envisages to establish a standardized national information system with a network of data banks and data bases
Resource planning and recycling for providing maximum availability
To give importance to the impact of projects on human settlements and environment.
Guidelines for the safety of storage dams and other water-related structures
Regulate exploitation of groundwater
Setting water allocation priorities in the following order: Drinking water, Irrigation, Hydropower, Navigation, Industrial and other uses.
The water rates for surface water and ground water should be rationalized with due regard to the interests of small and marginal farmers.
The policy also deals with participation of farmers and voluntary agencies, water quality, water zoning, conservation of water, flood and drought management, erosion etc