A Water-Withdrawal Input-Output Model of the Indian Economy.

Managing freshwater allocation for a highly populated and growing economy like India can benefit from knowledge about the effect of economic activities. This study transforms the 2003-2004 economic input-output (IO) table of India into a water withdrawal input-output model to quantify direct and indirect flows. This unique model is based on a comprehensive database compiled from diverse public sources, and estimates direct and indirect water withdrawal of all economic sectors. It distinguishes between green (rainfall), blue (surface and ground), and scarce groundwater. Results indicate that the total direct water withdrawal is nearly 3052 billion cubic meter (BCM) and 96% of this is used in agriculture sectors with the contribution of direct green water being about 1145 BCM, excluding forestry. Apart from 727 BCM direct blue water withdrawal for agricultural, other significant users include "Electricity" with 64 BCM, "Water supply" with 44 BCM and other industrial sectors with nearly 14 BCM. "Construction", "miscellaneous food products"; "Hotels and restaurants"; "Paper, paper products, and newsprint" are other significant indirect withdrawers. The net virtual water import is found to be insignificant compared to direct water used in agriculture nationally, while scarce ground water associated with crops is largely contributed by northern states.

[1]  J. Boyd,et al.  What are Ecosystem Services? The Need for Standardized Environmental Accounting Units , 2006 .

[2]  Kaiqin Xu,et al.  Analysis of water demand and water pollutant discharge using a regional input–output table: An application to the City of Chongqing, upstream of the Three Gorges Dam in China , 2006 .

[3]  J. Munksgaard,et al.  Using Input‐Output Analysis to Measure the Environmental Pressure of Consumption at Different Spatial Levels , 2005 .

[4]  Jaya Bhanot,et al.  Prioritizing towards a green export portfolio for India: An environmental input–output approach , 2011 .

[5]  Yajuan Yu,et al.  An input–output approach to evaluate the water footprint and virtual water trade of Beijing, China , 2013 .

[6]  Yi Zhang,et al.  Empirical Comparison of Input‐Output Methods for Life Cycle Assessment , 2014 .

[7]  E. Velázquez,et al.  An input-output model of water consumption: Analysing intersectoral water relationships in Andalusia , 2006 .

[8]  S. Pfister,et al.  A revised approach to water footprinting to make transparent the impacts of consumption and production on global freshwater scarcity , 2010 .

[9]  M. Lenzen,et al.  The Role of Scarcity in Global Virtual Water Flows , 2012 .

[10]  Arjen Ysbert Hoekstra,et al.  National water footprint accounts: the green, blue and grey water footprint of production and consumption , 2011 .

[11]  E. Hertwich,et al.  Carbon footprint of nations: a global, trade-linked analysis. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[12]  B. Bakshi,et al.  Thermodynamic accounting of ecosystem contribution to economic sectors with application to 1992 U.S. economy. , 2004, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  A. Hoekstra,et al.  The water footprint of India , 2008 .

[14]  Shan Guo,et al.  Multiregional input-output model for China's farm land and water use. , 2015, Environmental science & technology.

[15]  W. Leontief.  Environmental Repercussions and the Economic Structure: An Input-Output Approach , 1970 .

[16]  Arjen Ysbert Hoekstra,et al.  Going against the flow: A critical analysis of inter-state virtual water trade in the context of India’s National River Linking Program , 2009, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C.

[17]  K. Hubacek,et al.  Environmental implications of urbanization and lifestyle change in China: Ecological and Water Footprints , 2009 .

[18]  Manfred Lenzen,et al.  An input–output analysis of Australian water usage , 2001 .

[19]  J. Minx,et al.  Allocating ecological footprints to final consumption categories with input-output analysis , 2006 .

[20]  S. Davis,et al.  CH4 and N2O emissions embodied in international trade of meat , 2014 .

[21]  Peter Rogers,et al.  Water in the Arab world: perspectives and prognoses. , 1994 .

[22]  Rosa Duarte,et al.  Water use in the Spanish economy: an input-output approach , 2002 .

[23]  Matthias Schroder,et al.  Input–Output Analysis , 2011 .

[24]  A. Hoekstra,et al.  The green, blue and grey water footprint of crops and derived crops products , 2011 .

[25]  Bhavik R. Bakshi,et al.  Industrial and ecological cumulative exergy consumption of the United States via the 1997 input–output benchmark model , 2007 .

[26]  Nirvikar Singh,et al.  Inter State Water Disputes in India: Institutions and Policies , 2001 .

[27]  Klaus Hubacek,et al.  Assessing regional and global water footprints for the UK , 2010 .

[28]  K. Gupta.  Water Footprint of India and its Implications for International Trade in Food Products , 2008 .

[29]  S. Pachauri,et al.  Direct and indirect energy requirements of households in India , 2002 .

[30]  Klaus Hubacek,et al.  Assessment of regional trade and virtual water flows in China , 2007 .

[31]  Julian Fulton,et al.  The water footprint of California's energy system, 1990-2012. , 2015, Environmental science & technology.

[32]  L. M. Hartman.  The Input-Output Model and Regional Water Management , 1965 .

[33]  Jyoti K. Parikh,et al.  CO2 emissions structure of Indian economy , 2009 .

[34]  Bhavik R Bakshi,et al.  Accounting for the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen in input-output life cycle assessment. , 2013, Environmental science & technology.

[35]  A. Hoekstra,et al.  The green, blue and grey water footprint of farm animals and animal products , 2010 .

[36]  M. Bierkens,et al.  Nonsustainable groundwater sustaining irrigation: A global assessment , 2012 .

[37]  Christopher L. Lant,et al.  Input–output analysis of virtual water transfers: Case study of California and Illinois , 2013 .