Per capita water availability in India dropped almost 15% over a decade to 2011, from 1,816 cubic meter (cu.m) to 1,545 cu.m in 2011.

It is projected to have dropped a further 4.6% to 1,474 cu.m between 2011-15.

A country is categorised as 'water stressed' when water availability is less than 1,700 cu.m per capita per year.

Projections suggest that per capita water availability will continue to drop to 1,401 cu.m and 1,191 cu.m by 2025 and 2050, respectively.

VIZ

Source: Ministry of statistics and programme implementation

NOTE: Decadal population growth rate has been assumed as 12%. Therefore, population growth from 2011 to 2015 has been assumed as 4.8%.

(Patil is an analyst with IndiaSpend.)

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