Q96.
Consider the following statements : Statement-I : According to the United Nation's 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year. Statement-II : India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Answer
C
Explanation
to United Nation's 'World Water Report, 2022', India accounts for nearly of groundwater abstracted globally. The Asia- region is the largest groundwater abstractor in world, containing seven out of the ten countries extract most groundwater (Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey). These alone account for roughly 60% of the world’s groundwater withdrawal. Hence statement 1 is as the largest groundwater user globally, at an 251 km³ per year abstracted, uses 89% of its abstraction for irrigation. The report says, electricity tariffs or free electricity to as exist in many Indian states, coupled with state or government procurement of crops, farmers to grow water-intensive crops, such sugarcane, including in semi-arid regions with low recharge. This is responsible for unprecedented depletion in large parts of India. Hence 2 is not correct. option (c) is the correct answer.