NITI Aayog Mandates Data-Driven Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks for "Viksit Bharat"
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: NITI Aayog | Ministry of Jal Shakti | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and NITI Aayog released the report “Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks” on 18 November 2025, outlining a structured, data-driven framework to strengthen local water security in line with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. The initiative pilots comprehensive water budgeting across 18 Aspirational Blocks spanning 11 States and 8 agro-climatic zones, offering critical insights into the heterogeneity of India’s water challenges.
At the core of the framework is Varuni, a web-based diagnostic platform developed by NITI Aayog and GIZ India, which estimates the gap between water demand and supply by integrating multiple official datasets.
Varuni quantifies demand across four sectors—Human Consumption (55 lpcd rural, 150 lpcd urban), Livestock, Agriculture (dominant user; crop water requirement ~0.5 m/ha), and Industry—and maps supply from surface runoff (Strange’s Table), surface water bodies, groundwater (IN-GRES), and water transfers from irrigation and drinking water schemes.
The pilot findings reveal diverse, region-specific constraints: coastal blocks face salinity intrusion, Bundelkhand requires groundwater recharge, many blocks show overexploited aquifers or underutilized surface water, and Himalayan regions need spring protection. The report underscores that water budgeting must be customized, community-engaged, and linked to livelihood outcomes.
Recommended actions include expanding surface water harvesting, improving groundwater recharge, and promoting efficient irrigation and water-use practices to support sustainable water management across vulnerable regions.
What is the objective of estimating water demand using parameters like “55 lpcd” and “IN-GRES”?→ The objective is to establish a verifiable, scientific baseline for resource allocation, moving away from subjective estimates. The term 55 lpcd (liters per capita per day) is the standard for rural human consumption, and 150 lpcd for urban consumption. IN-GRES is the specific application used to accurately assess groundwater availability. By using these official parameters and other methodologies (like Strange’s Table), the Varuni platform ensures the water budget is scientific, consistent, and directly supports the long-term sustainability goals of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Follow the full report here: Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks