Lok Sabha Question No. 4825 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-15
Subject: Water Crisis
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA, MAHEISH GIRRI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4825

ANSWERED ON 15.12.2016

## WATER CRISIS

## 4825.         SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI

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

(a)  whether  a  Government-constituted experts' Committee on "Palaeochannels of North-West  India: Review  and  Assessment"  has  reported  that  the  country  can  look  at  Palaeochannels  as  dependable sources of water to meet needs of the people living in parched regions and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has considered these suggestions and plans to implement the same and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has carried out a study to identify critical zones in terms of water scarcity or low groundwater level and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the details of the Government plans to improve the drinking water and irrigation facilities in such zones along with the action taken in that direction so far?

## ANSWER

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

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  &  (b) The  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  RD  &  GR  constituted  an  Expert  Committee  to Review  available  Information  on  Palaeo-channels.    The  Expert  Committee  based  on  Remote Sensing,  Geological,  Hydrogeological  and  Archaeological  evidence  has  suggested  several recommendations which include :

(i) Establishing data bank for compiling of scientific information on Palaeo-channels.

(ii)Delineation  of  sub-surface  aquifer  disposition  of  identified  Palaeo-channels  and assessment of ground water potential and feasibility of artificial recharge in those Palaeochannels.

(iii)Establishing  some  prominent  archaeological  sites  along  the  Palaeo-channels  as heritage centres for academic/research activities.

(c)    Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  carries  out  periodic  assessment  of  ground  water resources in the Country jointly with the State Governments.  As   per   the    latest    assessment

(2011),  the  total  annual  replenishable  ground  water  resource  of  the  Country  is  around  433 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) and net annual ground water availability is 398 BCM.  Out of 6607 assessment units (Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas/ Districts) in the Country, 1071 units falling in 16 States  and  2  UTs  have  been  categorized  as  'Over-exploited'  where  the  annual  ground  water extraction exceeds the net annual ground water availability and significant decline in long term ground water level trend has been observed either in pre- monsoon or post-monsoon or both. The stage of ground water development in the country is 62%.  State/UT-wise details are given at Annexure.

(d)    Water  being  a  State  subject,  State  Governments  makes  necessary  plans  to  improve  the drinking water and irrigation facilities. However, in order to augment the ground water resources and  control  the  depletion  of  ground  water  resources,  Central  Government  takes  several  steps which include -

- 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 need for augmenting the availability of water through rain water harvesting, direct use of rainfall  and  other  management  measures.  The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  has  been forwarded  to  all  State  Governments/  UTs  and  concerned  Ministries/  Departments  of Central Government for adoption.
- This  Ministry  works  in  close  coordination  with  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  for groundwater recharge. The details of Water Conservation & Watershed Management works undertaken by the MoRD are as under :
- Further,  MoRD  has  taken  up  an  extensive  programme  for  construction  of  farm  ponds; 882325  farm  ponds  are  being  constructed  under  MGNREGA  during  the  current  year. They would also help in recharge of groundwater.
- The  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  &  Sanitation  has  suggested  all  States  to  adopt  water conservation measures like roof top rainwater harvesting, erecting sustainability structures for water conservation etc. For creating such sustainability structures, 10 % of National

|         |                      | FY 2014-15   | FY 2014-15                  | FY 2015-16   | FY 2015-16                  | 2016-17 as on 25/11/2016   | 2016-17 as on 25/11/2016    |
|---------|----------------------|--------------|-----------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Sl. No. | Work Category        | Total Works  | Expenditu re (Rs. In lakhs) | Total Works  | Expenditur e (Rs. In lakhs) | Total Works                | Expenditu re (Rs. In lakhs) |
| 1       | Water Conservation   | 665700       | 312298.59                   | 782585       | 399128.82                   | 1144138                    | 508227.89                   |
| 2       | Watershed Management | 46675        | 158196.53                   | 263464       | 188934.35                   | 244898                     | 181676.27                   |

Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) funds are provided to the States. An expenditure of Rs. 573.79 crore was incurred during 2014-15, Rs. 195.94 crore in 2015-16 and Rs. 29.67 crore in 2016-17 (uptil 29.11.2016) for such works.

- CGWA  has  issued  advisories  to  States  and  UTs  to  take  measures  to  promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting. 30 States/UTs have made rain water harvesting mandatory by enacting laws or by formulating rules & regulations or by including provisions in Building bye-laws or through suitable Government Orders.
- Department of Land Resources is currently implementing 8214 watershed development projects  in  28  States  covering  an  area  of  about  39.07  million  ha.  under  the  Watershed Development  Component  (WDC)  of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana (PMKSY)  principally  for  development  of  rainfed  portions  of  net  cultivated  area  and culturable wastelands. 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,  horticulture,  and  pasture  development  etc.  An  amount  of  Rs. 2284.63 crore was released as central share during 2014-15, Rs. 1487.83 crore in 2015-16 and Rs. 883.05 crore in 2016-17 (uptil 31.10.2016), for these works.
- 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 of rain water harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.
- CGWB has taken  up  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  programme  during  XII  Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The Aquifer Mapping is aimed  to  delineate  aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of aquifer/area specific ground water management plans, with community participation.
- MoWR, RD & GR has also 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.
- CGWB has been organizing mass awareness programmes in the Country to promote rain water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge  to  ground  water;  more  than  17  lakh  children participated in a nation-wide painting competition in the last year to promote conservation of water.

Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Q.No. 4825 for reply on 15.12.2016 regarding 'Water Crisis'

## CATEGORIZATION OF BLOCKS/ MANDALS/ TALUKAS IN INDIA (As on March 2011)

| Sl.No .   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Over- exploited   | Over- exploited   |
|-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Sl.No .   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Nos.              | %                 |
|           | States                       |                               |                   |                   |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh               | 662                           | 41                | 6                 |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh            | 11                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 3         | Assam                        | 27                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 4         | Bihar                        | 533                           | 0                 | 0                 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh                 | 146                           | 1                 | 1                 |
| 6         | Delhi                        | 27                            | 18                | 67                |
| 7         | Goa                          | 20                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 8         | Gujarat                      | 223                           | 24                | 11                |
| 9         | Haryana                      | 116                           | 71                | 61                |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh             | 8                             | 1                 | 13                |
| 11        | Jammu &Kashmir               | 14                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 12        | Jharkhand                    | 210                           | 6                 | 3                 |
| 13        | Karnataka                    | 270                           | 63                | 23                |
| 14        | Kerala                       | 152                           | 1                 | 1                 |
| 15        | Madhya Pradesh               | 313                           | 24                | 8                 |
| 16        | Maharashtra                  | 353                           | 10                | 3                 |
| 17        | Manipur                      | 8                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 18        | Meghalaya                    | 7                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 19        | Mizoram                      | 22                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 20        | Nagaland                     | 8                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 21        | Odisha                       | 314                           | 0                 | 0                 |
| 22        | Punjab                       | 138                           | 110               | 80                |
| 23        | Rajasthan                    | 243                           | 172               | 71                |
| 24        | Sikkim                       | 4                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu                   | 1129                          | 374               | 33                |
| 26        | Telangana                    | 448                           | 42                | 9                 |
| 27        | Tripura                      | 39                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 28        | Uttar Pradesh                | 820                           | 111               | 14                |
| 29        | Uttaranchal                  | 18                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 30        | West Bengal                  | 271                           | 0                 | 0                 |
|           | Total (States)               | 6554                          | 1069              | 16                |
|           | Union Territories            |                               |                   |                   |
| 1         | Andaman &Nicobar             | 36                            | 0                 | 0                 |
| 2         | Chandigarh                   | 1                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 3         | Dadra &Nagar Haveli          | 1                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 4         | Daman &Diu                   | 2                             | 1                 | 50                |
| 5         | Lakshadweep                  | 9                             | 0                 | 0                 |
| 6         | Puducherry                   | 4                             | 1                 | 25                |
|           | Total (UTs)                  | 53                            | 2                 | 4                 |
|           | Grand Total                  | 6607                          | 1071              | 16                |