Lok Sabha Question No. 2376 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-16
Subject: Regulation of Water Usage
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2376 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2017

## REGULATION OF WATER USAGE

## 2376.   SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

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

(a)  whether  there  is  any  proposal  under  consideration  of  the  Government  to  have  an integrated  approach  combining  economic    incentives,  technology  and  tighter  regulation  of water usage in the country, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether agriculture sector uses about 80% water resources of the country and if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  find  out  a  solution  to  change  the agricultural practices to reduce the use of water and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the corrective measures taken/to be taken for effective use of water by agriculture sector in the country?

## ANSWER

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

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) A Committee constituted by this Ministry on 28.12.2015 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mihir Shah has suggested draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 which inter-alia provides for  an  overarching  national  legal  framework  with  principles  for  protection,  conservation, regulation  and  management  of  water  as  a  vital  and  stressed  natural  resource,  under  which legislation  and  executive  action  on  water  at  all  levels  of  governance,  as  also  water-use  and water-related  actions  by  persons  and  their  associations,  public  and  private  institutions  and bodies corporate of all kinds, can take place. The salient features of the draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 are annexed .

(b) The National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) in its  Report  (1999)  has  estimated  that  the  water  requirement  for  irrigation  for  the  year  2010 would be about 557 Cubic Kilometer (Km 3 ) (nearly 78%) out of the total water requirement for different purposes of 710 Km 3 .  According to this report, the water requirement for irrigation for the year 2025 would be about 611 Km 3 (nearly 72%) out of the total water requirement for different purposes of 843 Km 3 .

(c)  &  (d)  Water  being  a  State  Subject,  State  Governments  undertake  several  measures  for augmenting, conserving and utilizing the water resources including changing the agricultural practices  to  reduce  the  use  of  water.  Central  Government  provides  technical  and  financial assistance to the State Governments in this regard through various schemes and programmes.

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.

Recycle  and  reuse  of  water,  after  treatment  to  specified  standards  as  well  as  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.

The National Water Policy, 2012 formulated by this Ministry has several recommendations for increasing water use efficiency in agriculture sector. Some of the recommendations are mentioned below:

- The adaptation strategies could also include better demand management, particularly, through  adoption  of  compatible  agricultural  strategies  and  cropping  patterns  and improved  water  application  methods,  such  as  land  leveling  and/or  drip  /  sprinkler irrigation as they enhance water use efficiency, as also, the capability for dealing with increased variability because of climate change. Similarly, industrial processes should be made more water efficient.
- Water  saving  in  irrigation  is  of  paramount  importance.  Methods  like  aligning cropping pattern with natural resource endowments, micro irrigation (drip, sprinkler, etc.),  automated  irrigation  operation,  evaporation-transpiration  reduction,  etc.,  is encouraged and incentivized. Recycling of canal seepage water through conjunctive ground water is also considered.

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## (Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  Part  (a)  of  the  Unstarred  Question  No.2376  to  be answered on 16.03.2017 in the Lok Sabha regarding 'Regulation of Water Usage')

## SALIENT FEATURES OF DRAFT NATIONAL WATER FRAMEWORK BILL, 2016

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The  draft  National  Water  Framework  Bill,  2016  seeks  to  provide  an  overarching national  legal  framework  based  on  principles  for  protection,  conservation,  regulation  and management of water as a vital and stressed natural  resource,  under  which  legislation  and executive action on water at all levels of governance can take place.

2. The Bill proposes that every individual should have a right to sufficient quantity of safe  water  for  life  within  easy  reach  based  on  the  principles  of  integrated  river  basin management.  The States shall hold water resources as a Common Heritage and Public Trust.
3. The  draft Bill proposes that the appropriate government  shall strive towards rejuvenating river systems with community participation, ensuring:
3. (a) 'Aviral  Dhara'  -  continuous  flow  in  time  and  space  including  maintenance  of connectivity of flow in each river system;
4. (b) 'Nirmal  Dhara'  -  unpolluted  flow  so  that  the  quality  of  river  waters  is  not adversely affected by human activities; and
5. (c) 'Swachh Kinara' - clean and aesthetic river banks with ecological integrity.
4. It  proposes  that  the  appropriate  government  shall  take  all  measures  to  protect  the ecological integrity necessary to sustain eco-systems dependent on water and  should adopt people-centered  decentralized  water  management,  for  both  surface  and  ground  water, including  local  rainwater  harvesting,  watershed  development  and  participatory  irrigation management,  shall  be  prioritized,  while  recognizing,  encouraging  and  empowering  local initiatives.
5. It  proposes  that  the  appropriate  Government  shall  take  into  consideration  the following:
8. (a) Water Use and Land Use
9. (b) Appropriate Treatment and Use of Wastewater
10. (c) Standards for Water Quality and Water Footprints
11. (d) Water Use Prioritization.

Provided  that  these  uses  of  water  are  consistent  with  the  objective  of  sustaining aquifers and eco-system indispensable to long term sustenance of the resource.

6. The  draft  Bill  lays  high  priority  to  Integrated  River  Basin  Development  and Management, wherein a river basin, including associated aquifers, shall be considered as the basis  hydrological  unit  for  planning,  development  and  management  of  water.    Each  State Government shall develop, manage and regulate basins of inter-State rivers through a River Basin Master Plan to be implemented by an appropriate institutional mechanism.
7. It proposes establishment of a River Basin Authority for each inter-State river basin for  optimum  and  sustainable  development  of  the  inter-State  rivers  and  river  valleys,  with active participation and cooperation by all basin States to ensure equitable, sustainable and efficient  utilisation  of  water  resources  with  emphasis  on  demand  management  through conjunctive  and  integrated  use  of  resources.    Each  River  Basin  Authority  shall  prepare  a Master Plan for the River Basin.
8. The Bill also proposes that the appropriate Government shall prepare and oversee the implementation  of  a  Water  Security  Plan  for  (a)  attainment  of  sufficient  quantity  of  safe water  for  life  and  sustainable  livelihoods  by  every  person;  and  (b)  ensuring  water  security even in times of emergencies like droughts and floods.