Lok Sabha Question No. 87 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-21
Subject: Uniform Policy on Ground Water Use
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: ANANDRAO  ADSUL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *87

ANSWERED ON 21.12.2017

## UNIFORM POLICY ON GR OUND WATER USE

| *87.                                                                                                                | SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:                 | Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:                 |
| THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION, ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS AND SHIPPING ( | THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION, ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS AND SHIPPING ( |
| SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GA DKARI )                                                                                        | SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GA DKARI )                                                                                        |

- (a)to  (e)     A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART S (a) TO ( e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *87 TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON 21. 12.2017  IN THE LOK  SABHA  REGARDING ' UNIFORM  POLICY  ON  GR OUND  WATER  USE ' ASKED  BY SHRI  ANANDRAO ADSUL AND DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE , HON'BLE M.P s:

- (a) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) constituted under Section 3(3) of 'The Environment (Protection) Act, (1986)' regulates extraction of ground water through guidelines which are updated regularly.  Permission to extract ground water through any energiz ed means is not accorded for any purpose other than drinking water in 162 notified areas.  Industries/ infrastructure/ mi withdrawing ground water are required to seek 'No Objection Certificate (NOC)' for ground water withdrawal from the Autho rity.  NOCs are issued by the Authority with mandatory conditions construction of observation wells (piezometers), installation of Digital Water Level Rec ground water level monitoring and mandatory ground water recharge as specified in the gu delines for  each  category  of  area.  The  current  guidelines  are  applicable  in  States/  UTs  whic regulating ground water development.   The names of such States/UTs are given at Annexure .
- (b)Yes, Madam.  CGWA has proposed to revise the guidelines w hich, inter - alia, include pan India coverage,  decentralization  of  NOC  issuing  authority,  exemption  to  users  drawing  ground through non -energized means and pump upto 2 HP from a single tube well for drinking & domes purpose and introduction of wate r conservation fee to be used by States for effective ground w management.  The guidelines have been circulated to all States/UTs and uploaded on the we this Ministry, CGWB and CGWA for comments from all stakeholders.
- (c) The proposed  guideli nes include decentralization of NOC issuing authority.  The detai authorities from whom the industries, infrastructure and mining projects will have to ob are given below:

| Quantum of ground water abstraction                                     | Quantum of ground water abstraction                                      | Authorized Officer/ Organization           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Safe and Semi - Critical Assessment units                               | Critical and Over - exploited including                                  | Authorized Officer/ Organization           |
| Up to 50 m 3 / day except those proposing to tap saline aquifers        | Up to 20 m 3 / day except those proposing to tap saline aquifers         | District M agistrate/ Deputy Commissioner  |
| >50 -500 m 3 / day Upto 500 m 3 / day for those tapping saline aquifers | >20 - 200 m 3 / day Upto 200 m 3 / day for those tapping saline aquifers | State Ground Water Authority/ State Agency |
| >500 m 3 / day                                                          | >200 m 3 / day                                                           | Central Ground Water Authority             |
| All cases pertaining to mining infrastructure dewatering                | All cases pertaining to mining infrastructure dewatering                 | and Central Ground Water Authority         |

- (d) Yes, Madam. It is proposed to exempt farmers from obtaining NOC for agriculture purpos

(e) Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on water  management  including  conservation  and recharge are primarily States' responsibility .  The following measures are proposed to be taken by the  State Departments  (Agriculture/  Irrigation    /  Water  Resources)  to  ensure  sustainabi ground water sour cesi n case of medium and large farmers concerned :

- Minimize conveyance losses by adopting surface / underground pipeline system.
- Promote and incentivize drip / sprinkler and other water saving irrigation methods / techniques.
- Promote and incen tivize crop diversification to less water intensive / consuming crops.
- Promote conjunctive use of surface and ground water in command areas.
- Promote use /reuse of treated /recycled water.
- Arrangement for dedicated electricity feeder for agricultural pump s ets .

Besides,  other  s teps  taken  by  the CentralGovernment  topromote rain  water  harvesting  are  as follows:

- The National Water Policy (2012) formulated by Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter -alia,  advocates  conservation,  promotion  and  protection  of  water  and  highlights  the augmenting the availability of water through rain water harvesting, direct use of r other management measures. The National Water Policy (2012 ) has been forwarded to all State Governments/UTsand concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central Government for adoption.
- Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB) has prepared  a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India'  during  2013,  involving  ground  water scientists/experts.  The Master Plan envisages construction of 1.11 crore rain water and  artificial  recharge  structures  in  the  Country  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.79,178 harness 85 BCM (Billio n Cubic Metre) of water.
- Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  under  'The  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986' for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country.  So far, CGWA has noti fied 162 areas in the Country for the purpose of regulation of ground water.
- CGWA has issued advisories to States and UTs to take measures to promote/adopt arti recharge to ground water/rainwater harvesting.  30 States/UTs have made rainwater harve sting mandatory by enacting laws or by formulating rules & regulations or by including provi building bye - laws or through suitable Government Orders.

- This Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision water  harvesting.    So  far,  15  States/UTs  have  adopted  and  implemented  the  ground legislation on the lines of Model bill.
- CGWB has taken up Aqu ifer Mapping and Management programme (NAQUIM) during XII Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The Aquifer Mapping aimed to delineate aquifer disposition and their characterization for preparation of specific gr ound water management plans, with community participation.
- The Ministry of Rural Development in consultation and agreement with the Ministry of Resources, RD & GR and the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare has developed an actionable  framew ork  for  Natural  Resources  Management  (NRM ),  titled  'Mission  Water Conservation' to ensure gainful utilization of funds.  The Framework strives to ensure synergies in  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Empl oyment  Gandhi  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pradhan Mantri  Krishi  Si nchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY),  Integrated  Watershed  Management  Programme (IWMP)  and  Command  Area  Development  &  Water  Management  (CAD&WM),  given  their common objectives.  Types of common works undertaken under these programmes/schemes ar water  conservation  and  ma nagement,  water  harvesting,  soil  and  moisture  conservation groundwater  recharge,  flood  protection,  land  development,  Command  Area  Development Watershed Management.
- Department of Land Resources is currently implementing 8214 watershed development proj s in 28 States covering an area of about 39.07 million ha. under the Watershed Devel Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) principally for development of rainfed portions of net cultivated area and culturable wasteland s. The major activities taken up under the WDC - PMKSY, inter - alia, include ridge area treatment, drainage line  afforestation,  soil  and  moisture  conservation,  rain  water  harvesting,  hortic pasture development etc.
- The  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  & Sanitation  has  suggested  all  States  to  adopt  wate conservation measures like roof top rainwater harvesting, erecting sustainability str water  conservation  etc.  For  creating  such  sustainability  structures,  10  %  of  Natio Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) funds are provided to the States.

*****

Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Q.No. *8 7 for reply on 21.12.2017 regarding ' Uniform Policy on Ground Water Use '

|   S.No. | State/UT                  |
|---------|---------------------------|
|       1 | Arunachal Pradesh         |
|       2 | Assam                     |
|       3 | Bihar                     |
|       4 | Chhattisgarh              |
|       5 | Gujarat                   |
|       6 | Haryana                   |
|       7 | Jharkhand                 |
|       8 | Madhya Pradesh            |
|       9 | Maharashtra               |
|      10 | Manipur                   |
|      11 | Meghalaya                 |
|      12 | Mizoram                   |
|      13 | Nagaland                  |
|      14 | Odisha                    |
|      15 | Punjab                    |
|      16 | Rajasthan                 |
|      17 | Tripura                   |
|      18 | Uttar Pradesh             |
|      19 | Uttarakhand               |
|      20 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
|      21 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli      |
|      22 | Daman & Diu               |
|      23 | Sikkim                    |