National Water Policy 2012. Country/Territory India Document type Date 2012 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Water Keyword Freshwater resources management Policy/planning Water supply Potable water Governance Monitoring Equity Water rights Integrated management Climate change Flood Water shortage/drought Groundwater Surface water Institution Basin/catchment/watershed Geographical area Asia, ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, Indian Ocean, South Asian Seas, Southern Asia Abstract This National Water Policy (NWP) is a sectoral document to govern the planning and development of water resources and their optimum utilization. India has more than 18 % of the world’s population, but has only 4% of world’s renewable water resources and 2.4% of world’s land area. The objective of the National Water Policy is to take cognizance of the existing situation, to propose a framework for creation of a system of laws and institutions and for a plan of action with a unified national perspective. The Policy seeks to address issues such as the scarcity of water, inequities in its distribution and the lack of a unified perspective in planning, management and use of water resources. Full text English