Lok Sabha Question No. 1242 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-09
Subject: Water Security
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1242 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2017

## WATER SECURITY

## 1242.        SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL

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

(a) whether due to lack of proper security measure for water it is becoming a scarce commodity in various parts of the country which may result in crisis for food production;

(b) if so, the details of the cities/places where availability of water is less than requirement; and

(c) the measures taken by the Government to ensure the water security?

## ANSWER

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

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  &  (b)  The  average  annual  water  availability  of  any  region  or  country  is  largely  dependent upon  hydro-meteorological  and  other  factors  and  is  generally  constant.  As  per  National Commission  on  Integrated  Water  Resources  Development  (NCIWRD)  report,  the  total  water availability of India received through precipitation is about 4000 Billion cubic meter (BCM) per annum. After evaporation, 1869 BCM water is available as natural runoff. Due to topographical and other factors, the utilizable water availability is limited to 1123 BCM per annum, comprising of 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground water.

In view of growing  population, the per capita water availability in India is reducing progressively. The average annual per capita water availability in the years 2001 and 2011 was assessed as 1820 cubic meters and 1545 cubic meters respectively which may reduce further to 1341 and 1140 in the years 2025 and 2050 respectively.

Annual  per-capita  water  availability  of  less  than  1700  cubic  meters  is  considered  as  water stressed  condition,  whereas  annual  per-capita  water  availability  below  1000  cubic  meters  is considered as a water scarcity condition. Further, total water requirement for irrigation purpose in  the  country    for  the  years  2025  and  2050  are  estimated  to  be  311  BCM  and  807  BCM respectively.

River basin being the natural hydrological unit, total water resources availability is assessed river basin  wise.  The  details  of  the  basin-wise  average  annual  water  resources  availability  (or potential) assessed by Central Water Commission in 1993 is at Annexure I.

(c) Water being a State Subject, State Governments undertake several measures for augmenting, conserving and utilizing water resources which inter-alia include conservation of water resources in reservoirs and traditional water bodies, rain water harvesting and artificial recharge of ground water.  This  Ministry  provides  technical  and  financial  assistance  to  the  State  Governments through  various  schemes  and  programmes  viz.  Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefits  Programme, Scheme for Repair, Renovation & Restoration of Water-bodies etc.

Some of such initiatives taken by Central Government to ensure water security are as follows:

- A  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  envisaging  inter-basin  transfer  of  water  has  been formulated by this Ministry to improve water security in the country. The implementation of  NPP  would  give  added  benefits  of  approximately  35  million  hectare  of  additional irrigation potential, 34000 mega watts (MW) hydro power generation, flood moderation, navigation, drinking and industrial water supply, fisheries, salinity and pollution control etc.
- Central Ground Water Board, under this Ministry has prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India' during the year 2013 envisaging construction of 1.11 crore Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge structures  in  the  country  to  harness  85  BCM  (Billion  Cubic  Meters)  of  water.  The augmented  ground  water  resources  will  enhance  the  availability  of  water  for  drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.
- Central  Government  has  launched  the  National  Water  Mission  with  the  objective  of conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both  across  and  within  States  through  integrated  water  resources  development  and management.  One  of  the  goals  of  National  Water  Mission  is  increasing  water  use efficiency by 20%.
- Improved water use efficiency in different sectors such as in irrigation (through microirrigation, e.g., drip, sprinkler etc.), industry and households is being encouraged through various initiatives, programmes/ schemes of the Government.
- Central Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) with the  vision  of  extending  the  coverage  of  irrigation 'Har Khet ko Pani' and  improving water use efficiency 'More crop per drop' in a focused manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management, field application and extension activities.
- Water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water constitute a special focus area for MGNREGA works and about 2/3rd of the expenditure is directly related to construction of such structures.
- Recycle and reuse of water, after treatment to specified standards, rainwater harvesting and  artificial  recharge  are  being  incentivized  through  various  initiatives,  programmes/ schemes of the Government.
- This  Ministry  has  launched  Jal  Kranti  Abhiyan  (2015-16  to  2017-18)  in  order  to consolidate  water  conservation  and  management  in  the  country  through  a  holistic  and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, making it a mass movement.

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## (Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1242 to be answered on 09.02.2017 regarding 'Water Security')

## WATER RESOURCES AVAILABILITY (POTENTIAL) OF RIVER BASINS OF INDIA (YEAR 1993)

| Sl. No .   | River Basin                                                | Average Water Resources Potential (In Billion Cubic Meter)   |
|------------|------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1          | Indus                                                      | 73.3                                                         |
| 2          | Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna                                   |                                                              |
|            | (a) Ganga                                                  | 525.0                                                        |
|            | (b) Brahmaputra                                            | 537.2                                                        |
|            | (c) Barak &others                                          | 48.4                                                         |
| 3          | Godavari                                                   | 110.5                                                        |
| 4          | Krishna                                                    | 78.1                                                         |
| 5          | Cauvery                                                    | 21.4                                                         |
| 6          | Subernarekha                                               | 12.4                                                         |
| 7          | Brahmani-Baitarni                                          | 28.5                                                         |
| 8          | Mahanadi                                                   | 66.9                                                         |
| 9          | Pennar                                                     | 6.3                                                          |
| 10         | Mahi                                                       | 11.0                                                         |
| 11         | Sabarmati                                                  | 3.8                                                          |
| 12         | Narmada                                                    | 45.6                                                         |
| 13         | Tapi                                                       | 14.9                                                         |
| 14         | West Flowing Rivers from Tapi to Tadri                     | 87.4                                                         |
| 15         | West Flowing Rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari              | 113.5                                                        |
| 16         | East Flowing Rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar            | 22.5                                                         |
| 17         | East Flowing Rivers between Pennar &Kanyakumari            | 16.5                                                         |
| 18         | West Flowing Rivers of Kutch and Saurashtra including Luni | 15.1                                                         |
| 19         | Area of Inland Drainage in Rajasthan                       | Negligible                                                   |
| 20         | Minor Rivers draining into Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh  | 31.0                                                         |
|            | Total                                                      | 1,869.4                                                      |