The Ministry of Jal Shakti has conducted the first-ever census of water bodies across India.
The census provides an inventory of India’s water resources, including natural and man-made water bodies like ponds and lakes.
Over 24.24 lakh water bodies have been enumerated in the census, with more than 23 lakh in rural areas and nearly 69,000 in urban areas.
The top five states in terms of number of water bodies are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam, which constitute around 63% of the total water bodies in the country.
The census highlights disparities between rural and urban areas and varying levels of encroachment. The census provides crucial insights into the country’s water resources.
Q.: How many water bodies were enumerated in the first-ever census conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti?
a) Over 1 lakh
b) Over 5 lakh
c) Over 10 lakh
d) Over 24 lakh
Ans : d) Over 24 lakh
