NITI Aayog Releases Report On Water Budgeting In Aspirational Blocks Using Varuni Platform

New Delhi, Nov 21 (KNN) NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks’ on Wednesday, marking a key step toward strengthening local water budgeting as part of India’s broader push for sustainable water management. 

The report was unveiled by NITI Aayog Member Dr. V. K. Paul, who emphasised the need to involve local communities in the next phase of the initiative to enhance water availability through measurable, outcome-oriented interventions that strengthen livelihoods and public health.

The report draws on a block-level water budgeting exercise conducted using Varuni, a web-based platform designed to support integrated water management. 

Varuni enables structured estimation of water demand across human, livestock, agriculture, and industrial sectors, while capturing supply from multiple sources including surface water, groundwater, runoff, and inter-basin transfers.

Covering 18 Aspirational Blocks across 11 States and eight agro-climatic zones, the report identifies the wide variations in water resource endowments and the need for tailored strategies. 

For each block, it provides a detailed analysis of the water demand–supply balance, key challenges, and recommended interventions to enhance local water security.

According to NITI Aayog, the water budgeting framework serves as a diagnostic tool to support a shift toward proactive, data-driven water management. 

It also aligns with policy transitions toward convergent resource planning, digital governance, and climate-resilient development.

The study integrates field inputs with data captured through the Varuni platform and aims to support localised water budgeting, identify consumption hotspots, and facilitate efficient water-use planning before critical thresholds are reached.

(KNN Bureau)