NEW DELHI: India`s government has created a new ministry to respond to a growing water crisis, with more than 60pc of the country`s 1.3 billion people dependent on farming and f avourable monsoon rains.

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind told Parliament on Thursday that the new Ministry of Water Power will tackle water conservation and management.

Kovind said traditional water conservation practices are disappearing as ponds and lakes are filled to build houses and other developments, and that vanishing water sources have worsened the crisis for the poor.

Millions of people have been forced to rely onwater from tank trucks in Tamil Nadu state, which had a 62pc shortfall in monsoon rains last year.

Kovind said water shortages are one of the biggest chaHenges of the 21st century and are likely to be worsened by climate change. He said the creation of the new ministry `is a decisive step in this direction, which will have farreaching benefits`.

The government is assessing the possibility of connecting rivers in various states to help with regional water shortages.

Several Indian states have disputes over the sharing of water carried by rivers and have petitioned the Supreme Court to obtain larger shares.-AP