Around 53.6 percent employed persons left their residences in the 2020-21 period due to scarcity of water, according to the National Sample Survey Organisation's (NSSO) 78th round of the Multiple Indicator Survey of India.

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As many as 42.3 percent of those from the 'out of labour force' category moved homes because of scarcity of water. Meanwhile, 1.7 percent unemployed persons migrated because of the same reason, according to the survey.

The survey, which was initially to be conducted in the January to December 2020 period, was continued till August 15, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there were other reasons for migration as well such as acquisition of own house/flat, housing problems/insufficient land holding, healthcare, among others, scarcity of water remained among the top 5.

Among the urban areas, 39.5 percent employed persons moved homes due to water scarcity, 53.1 from the 'out of labour force' category, and 2.5 percent unemployed persons migrated for the same reason.

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In rural areas, 67.5 percent employed persons migrated due to less availability of water, 31.6 percent persons in the 'out of labour force segment' did the same, and nearly a percent of unemployed persons did the same.

Last month, the World Bank in a blog post had said that India, which has 18 percent of the total world population, has just 4 percent of its water resources, which makes it among the list of most water-stressed countries in the world.

Citing a recent NITI Aayog report, the blog post said that many Indians face high to extreme water stress.

And climate change is likely to increase the pressure on water resources, even though the intensity of inundation and droughts increase in the country.

A NITI Aayog report in 2018 had stated that India would have less than half of the total demand for water by 2030.

The report stated that by then the country would be able to supply 744 billion cubit metre of water against a demand for 1,498 billion cubic metre, which is a shortfall of more than 50 percent.

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(Edited by : C H Unnikrishnan)

First Published:Mar 27, 2023 2:35 PM IST