President Pranab Mukherjee has called for equitable use of water between urban and rural areas.

He emphasised to popularize rain water harvesting by dovetailing existing rural development schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.

Inaugurating the India Water Week 2013 in New Delhi this evening, Mr. Mukherjee said increasing droughts and floods in the country underline the need to find solutions to improve the management of water resources.

Mr. Mukherjee advocated that the available water must be managed judiciously to meet the twin burden of population growth and economic development.

The President asserted that water management should be accorded high priority and expressed hope that water week will be able to provide meaningful solutions and approach to water management.

Mr. Mukherjee said that due to population expansion, increasing urbanization and high economic growth through rapid industrialization, availability of water resource is conspicuous keeping in view the demands.

The Minister for Water Resources, Harish Rawat also spoke on the occasion.