A temporal and spatial assessment of water stress with water poverty index: A case study of Rajasthan

This paper examines the evolution of Rajasthan's water poverty status and identifies key areas where intervention is needed to address the state's water woes. For this, a modified water poverty index (MWPI) has been constructed using data from the National Sample Survey (NSS). To understand the spatial and temporal change, MWPI has been computed for all 33 districts for 2012 and 2018. Although the state's overall water poverty status has improved over the given period, descriptive data analysis reveals a decline in the resource component of the index. A deterioration in the index value of some of the districts' access, capacity, and secondary sources is also a concern. Given the dwindling access to safe, sufficient, and reliable water sources and an increase in the burden of water-related disease, the study recommends policy initiatives that urgently and explicitly address these issues.