New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) NITI Aayog released a report on Wednesday titled “Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks,” marking a significant effort to take forward local water budgeting for enhancing water security.

The water budgeting exercise uses a web-based platform, Varuni, to enhance the block-level water security planning and undertake integrated water management. It provides a structured approach for estimating water demand across key sectors: human, livestock, agriculture, and industry, while accounting for supplies from multiple sources such as runoff, surface water, groundwater, and water transfers.

The report highlights the need for adopting customised strategies across 18 Aspirational Blocks with different endowments of water availability. These blocks, spread across 8 agro-climatic zones of the country in 11 States, offered a window into the heterogeneity of water resources challenges.

The water budget provides insights for each block related to its water demand-supply scenario, challenges and recommendations and identifying suitable measures for enhancing water security. This diagnostic tool will help shift to proactive water management aided by a data-driven approach.

Highlighting the key aspects of the report, the member suggested taking forward the exercise further to carry out steps involving the community to improve the water availability situation through measurable outputs for better livelihood outcomes through access to water and resulting in better health.

As policies shift towards a convergent approach for water resources management, digital governance and outcome-based planning, tools like this hold the potential to become a cornerstone in India’s broader transition to climate resilience and sustainable development.

Drawing insights from these Aspirational Blocks, the study integrates field-based analysis and data inputs through Varuni, a web-based water budgeting platform. The report will help in localising water budget preparation, identify hot spots in water consumption and plan for efficient water use before critical levels are reached for equitable distribution and ensuring resilience.

NITI Aayog collaborated with GIZ India to prepare the report. The launch event was attended by representatives from Central Ministries, National Institute of Hydrology, Centre for Water Resources Development, Government of Kerala, technical partner GIZ India and others.

The report, released by NITI Aayog member V. K. Paul, can be accessed at https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-11/Water_Budgeting.pdf

–IANS

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