Water budgeting: India needs better planning as scarcity risks rise

Erratic monsoon rains, longer dry periods, and more frequent floods mean India can no longer rely on historical rainfall patterns for planning

As extreme weather, shrinking aquifers, and rising demand strain already-fragile ecosystems, traditional supply-side approaches are proving insufficient, placing India at a critical juncture in its water-governance journey. A new NITI Aayog report, “Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks”, has done well to shift focus towards scientifically planning water availability rather than reacting to scarcity. At the heart of this effort is Varuni, a first-of-its-kind app-based water-budgeting tool piloted across 18 blocks representing India’s varied ecological landscapes — from the Himalayan state of Sikkim to the coastal plains of Tamil Nadu and the dry tracts of Bundelkhand. The findings are