Explain how 'watershed management and rainwater harvesting' are the methods of efficient management and conservation of surface water resources in India.

Explanation

Watershed management: (i) It prevents runoff, recharges ground water through percolation tanks, recharge wells etc. (ii) Haryali is a watershed development project which aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water for drinking, irrigation, fisheries and afforestation. (iii) It includes conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources: natural and human within a watershed. (iv) Neeru-Meeru programme in Andhra Pradesh and Arvary Pani Sansad in Rajasthan have taken up construction of various water harvesting structures such as percolation tanks, check dams etc.
Rainwater Harvesting: (i) Traditional rainwater harvesting mainly in rural areas is done by using surface storage bodies like lakes, ponds, irrigation tanks, etc. (ii) In Rajasthan rainwater harvesting structures, locally known as kunds or tankas are constructed near or in the house or village to store harvested rainwater. (iii) It raises water availability, increasrs the quantity and improves the quality of ground water by diluting pollutants/ contaminants, prevents soil erosion, reduces the fury of floods and checks salt water intrusion in coastalareas.