Lok Sabha Question No. 2716 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-02
Subject: Surcharges on Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SHARAD TRIPATHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. † 2716

ANSWERED ON 02.0 8.201 8

## SURCHARGES ON WATER

## †2716. SHRI SHARAD TRIPATHI

## Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) the contingency measures taken by the Government for the optimum utilisastion of a water for primary sectors like agriculture, rural, urban wat er supply and industry owing to concerns over low monsoon in the country;

(b)  whether  the  Government  is  likely  to  charge  more  from  the  bottled  water  be manufacturing companies for the use of ground water to subsidize water supply for the ur ban poor and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to increase water surcharge for irrigation and urb supply systems while endorsing heavy investment for conservation of water resources; and (d) if so, the details thereo f?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

( a) The water resources projects are owned, operated and maintained by the respectiv Governments, and so, steps to ensure sustainability of water resources including any conti measures for optimum utilization of available water for primary sectors like agricultur urban water supply and industry are undertaken by respective State Governments d epending on their  priority  and  resources.  However, Central  Water  Commission  (CWC)  monitors  live  storage status  of  91  reservoirs  of  the  country  on  weekly  basis  and  issues  weekly  bulletin Thursday. CWC  issues  advisories  to  the  State  Government  autho rities  whenever  there  are indications of comparatively lower storages in the reservoirs to utilize the available wa prudently and efficiently to tide over any possible water shortage.

Further, some of the measures taken by the Central Governm ent fo  optimum utilization of available water for various purposes in the country are as under:

- The Government of India h s launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana ( PMKSY) in 2015- 16 which aims to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable under assured irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainab

conservation practices, etc. During 2016 - 17, 99 on - going Major/Medium irrigation projects under  PMKSY - Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefits  Programme  (AIBP)  having  potential 76.03 lakh hectares were prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in to December, 2019 al ong with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works. The Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) programme  has  been  taken  up  with  a  view  to  enhance  utilization  of  irrigation  p created,  and  improve  agriculture  produc tion  on  a  sustainable  basis  through  Participator Irrigation Management.

- The  Government  of  India  has  formulated  a  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  for  W Resources  Development  which  envisages  transfer  of  water  from  surplus  basins  to deficit basin s for optimum utilization of available water .
- Central  Government  has  launched  the  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urb Transformation (AMRUT) on 25 June 2015 in 500 Mission cities with major focus on wa supply. Under AMRUT, the States/Union Territor ies (UTs) have been empowered to select, appraise,  approve  and  implement  individual  projects.  Central  Government  only  app State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) and releases Central Assistance (CA) as per Mis guidelines. Under this Mission, all SAAPs f or Rs. 77,640 crore have been approved for all States/UTs including Central Assistance of Rs. 39,011 crore.
- The  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  &  Sanitation  administers  centrally  sponsored  Nat Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme  (NRDWP)  for  providing  financial and  technical assistance  to  States  for  providing  safe  drinking  water  to  all  the  rural  househo country. A total of 85,888, 61042 and 53411 nos. of habitations have been covered the years 2015 - 16, 2016 -17 and 2017 - 18 respectively.

(b) Central  Ground  Water  Authority,  constituted  under  Section  3(3)  of  'The  Environ (Protection) Act, 1985', has framed draft guidelines proposing to levy a water conservation fee for issuance  of  'No  Objection  Certificate  (NOC)'  for  ground  water  abstraction .  The  rates  of  water conservation fee have been proposed based on the quantum of ground water abstracted, cate ground water assessment unit and use of ground water. Higher rates have been proposed for water and beverage manufacturing industr ies.

(c) & (d) Irrigation being a state subject, the irrigation projects are planned, execute by State Government as per their priorities. The matter of irrigation water cess / tari lies in the purview of State Government.

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