Rajasthan improves ranking in composite water management index

Rajasthan has improved its ranking in the NITI Aayog's composite water management index, an official said today.

The desert state was ranked 13th in the country in the base year (financial year 2015-16). It has climbed to the tenth spot in the financial year 2016-17, Sriram Vedire, chairperson of the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority said.

He credited the restoration of surface water bodies and other works done under Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) for the improved showing of the state.

It was the first ever assessment and analysis of its kind for the composite water sector scenario. The data was collected for two years- the base year, 2015-16 and 2016-17.

The comprehensive document was published last month for the first time, he said.

Vedire informed that the indictors in water index were grouped into nine broad themes of source augmentation and restoration of water bodies, major and medium irrigation-supply side management, rural drinking water, urban water supply and sanitation among others.

Rajasthan ranked top in some of the parameters, he said.

Vedire informed that the MJSA programme launched in January 2016 has restored most of the irrigation potential of identified water bodies largely through community-managed ponds and tanks while improving the water level as well.

A total of 12,000 villages have been covered with the programme in its three phases. The survey for the fourth year has started and an additional 4000 villages will be covered by the end of the year, he said.