Water is the most crucial resource in a country like India. Agriculture and the irrigation are based on this resource. Please elaborate some of the key plans, visions or initiatives and activities that you foresee in the field of water resources?
Water sector is already under stress. Per capita demand is likely to go up due to rising standards while the availability is likely to diminish in the coming years. About 80% of the tapped surface resources are used in irrigation sector, which is already reeling under low efficiencies. To keep pace with the increased demands of our growing population and improvement in the quality of life we have to continue the pace of development on one hand and conserve water and bring in efficiencies in water use on the other hand. It is estimated that present demand of 200 million tonnes of foodgrain is likely to increase to 450 million tonnes by 2050. To achieve the additional production of 250 million tonnes of food grains in next 50 years is a serious challenge to all of us and this can be achieved only through an integrated approach by harnessing our entire irrigation potential through major, medium and minor irrigation projects and to maintain its sustainability through efficient water management and watershed development programmes at National and State level. Geospatial technologies have to play a major role to combat these challenges.

Geo-spatial technologies for effective water resource management have been in practice across the world. What are your views with respect to the use of these technologies in India?
Geospatial technologies for effective water resource management have been in vogue across the world, especially in the developed countries. As far as India is concerned, the use of these technologies has been very limited in water resources management. The scope of this technology is at present limited to the study of area related parameters supported by field data. Lack of adequate and proper knowledge about the fields/areas of use, absence of trained personnel and high costs involved limits the scope of this technology. In the absence of policy guidelines, many a time the use of this modern technology is manifested due to an individuals' interest and thrust.

Do you feel that the relevant water resources management departments in government are equipped enough for embracing geo-spatial technologies in their projects, or there is a need for training and awareness?
One of the major problems that has led to the non-application of this modern technology is lack of resource personnel in the Government departments that are equipped enough for applying this technology. Due to rapid developments in the remote sensing, GIS and computer technologies, there would be obviously a lack of adequate understanding in any organisation, especially in the higher echelons. Hence, there is an absolute need for training, creating awareness, updating the knowledge at all levels of the hierarchy.

Please tell us about some innovative or interesting cases of geo-spatial technology usage in water resource management in the country?
Some of the areas in water resources management, where this technology is being used or there is potential to use are:

• Topographical surveys for project planning, canal alignment, canal distribution network planning
• Land use pattern changes - impacts on watershed management, reservoir sedimentation, water quality- variation in both space and time
• Estimation of lands affected by water logging and salinity/alkalinity
• Monitoring and evaluation of irrigation command with regard to water management and agricultural productivity
• Data on cropping pattern, crop acreage, assessment of crop water requirement, crop productivity, irrigation area utilisation in spatial and temporal scales
• Identification of vulnerable canal commands and
• Area capacity studies in reservoirs

One of the important areas now being explored is speedy planning and investigation of Interlinking of river projects.