The per capita water storage capacity in India is about 209m3. As per Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) global information system on water and agricultural AQUASTAT, the per capita storage capacity of China, United States of America and Brazil are 416m3, 2192m3 and 2632m3 respectively.
Several measures for increasing the storage capacity are taken up by the State Governments viz construction of dams, check dams and farm ponds. Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments for increasing storage capacity by rendering technical and financial assistance through programmes like Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme and Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies. As a result of these efforts, the storage capacity in the country has increased from the live storage capacity available in the country at the time of independence 15.6 Billion Cubic Meter to about 253.388 BCM. In addition, the live storage capacity of dams under construction and under consideration for construction by the respective State Governments are 50.959 BCM and 109.673 BCM respectively.
This information was given by Union Water Resources Minister Shri Harish Rawat in the Lok Sabha today in reply to a written whether water storage capacity in India is 225m3 per person while in China, US and Brazil it is 2500m3, 6155m3 and 2155m3 per person respectively; if so, whether the Government is making efforts to increase the present storage capacity; the details thereof along with the names of the schemes on which work is being done to increase the water storage capacity and the outcome thereof andwhether the work on these schemes is lagging far behind the target; and the details thereof and the steps being taken/proposed to be taken thereon.