Lok Sabha Question No. 4712 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-30
Subject: Rainwater Harvesting
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4712

ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017

## RAINWATER HARVESTING

## 4712. SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN

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

(a) the details of schemes being implemented for rainwater harvesting in the country;

(b) whether there is any ongoing programme/scheme of the Government to convert rainwater into drinking  water  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  levels  at  which  rainwater  is  being  harvested thereunder;

(c) the details of the expenditure incurred by the Government for rainwater harvesting during the last three years to tide over the crisis; and

(d)  whether  special  measures  have  been  taken/are  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  rainwater harvesting at village and town level during the said period and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) to (d)   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 concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central Government for adoption of the policy.

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 harvesting and artificial  recharge  structures  in  the  Country  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  79,178  Crores  to  harness 85BCM (Billion Cubic Metre) of water. The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR 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. 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.

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  at delineating  aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/area  specific ground water management plans.

Department  of  Land  Resources  is  currently  implementing  8214  watershed  development projects in 28 States (except Goa) 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,  pasture development,  creation  of  livelihoods  for  asset-less  person,  etc.  An  amount  of  Rs.  2162.80  crore during  2013-14,  Rs.  2284.63  crore  during  2014-15  and  Rs.  1487.83  crore  during  2015-16  was released as central share.

Ministry of Urban Development has circulated its Model Building Bye-Laws (2016) to all State  Governments  which,  inter-alia,  incorporates  provisions  for  Rain  Water  Harvesting.  Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) mandates the States to formulate a policy and action plan for having rain water harvesting structures in all commercial, public buildings and new buildings on plots of 300 sq.m and above.

Under  MGNREGS  (Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme), Rainwater Harvesting structures, watershed management works and renovation of traditional water bodies are undertaken to improve the ground water situation. To bring about the convergence among the  schemes-MGNREGS,  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojna  (PMKSY)  and  Integrated Watershed  Management  Programme  (IWMP),  the  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  has  developed Natural  Resource  Management  Framework  under  MGNREGS  within  the  overall  framework  of PMKSY.

Under the MGNREGS, during last three financial year i.e., 2013-14 to 2015-16, a sum of Rs. 3274368.00  lakhs,  3247686.69  lakhs  and  3664479.70  lakhs  respectively  had  been  released  as financial assistance to the States/UTs.

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