Composite water management index: a tool for water management

India is suffering from the worst water crisis in its history and millions of lives and livelihoods are under
threat. Currently, 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about two lakh people die
every year due to inadequate access to safe water. The crisis is only going to get worse. By 2030, the
country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for
hundreds of millions of people and an eventual ~6% loss in the country’s GDP2
. As per the report of National Commission for Integrated Water Resource Development of MoWR, the water requirement by
2050 in high use scenario is likely to be a milder 1,180 BCM, whereas the present-day availability is 695
BCM. The total availability of water possible in country is still lower than this projected demand, at 1,137
BCM. Thus, there is an imminent need to deepen our understanding of our water resources and usage
and put in place interventions that make our water use efficient and sustainable. The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) to enable effective water management in Indian states in the face of this
growing crisis. The Index and this associated report are expected to: (1) establish a clear baseline and benchmark for
state-level performance on key water indicators; (2) uncover and explain how states have progressed on
water issues over time, including identifying high-performers and under-performers, thereby inculcating
a culture of constructive competition among states; and, (3) identify areas for deeper engagement and
investment on the part of the states. Eventually, NITI Aayog plans to develop the index into a composite,
national-level data management platform for all water resources in India.
Data and centre-state and inter-state cooperation are some of the key levers that can help address the
crisis. Data systems related to water in the country are limited in their coverage, robustness, and
efficiency. First, data is often not available at the adequate level of detail. For example, water use data for
domestic and industrial sectors is available at only the aggregate level, and thus provides very little
information to relevant policymakers and suppliers. Second, where data is available, it is often unreliable
due to the use of outdated collection techniques and methodologies. For example, groundwater data in
India is based on an inadequate sample of ~55,000 wells out of a total ~12 million3
in the country. Finally,
siloed information collection and sharing, especially between states, adds significantly to costs and
inefficiencies.