WASTE WATER CIRCULARITY AND ITS RELATED INCENTIVES IN INDIA

In todays world, rapid population growth and urbanization have intensified pressure on natural resources, particularly water. Approximately half of the global population, around 4 billion people, experience water shortages for at least one month annually, with projections indicating that 1.8 billion may face absolute water scarcity by 2025. Wastewater exacerbates this strain, with untreated discharge posing severe health and environmental risks. In India, addressing wastewater circularity is imperative for sustaining a population of over 1.3 billion, supporting industries, curbing pollution, and conserving resources. Although policies exist at both national and state levels, only 11 states have operationalized wastewater reuse policy wise. Focusing on the basis for wastewater circularity, the need for incentives is paramount. The kinds of incentives, current scenario in India and way forward have been discussed in the paper.