Lok Sabha Question No. 451 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-17
Subject: Depletion in Groundwater Level
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA, KURUPPASSERY VARKEY THOMAS, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, ALOK SANJAR, SUNIL KUMAR SINGH

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  †451

ANSWERED ON 17.11.2016

## DEPLETION IN GROUNDWATER LEVEL

## 451. SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA PROF. K.V. THOMAS SHRI D.K. SURESH SHRI ALOK SANJAR SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH

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

(a) the State-wise per capita availability of water at present and its expected availability by 2025 along with current status of groundwater resources in the country;

(b)  whether  per  capita  availability  of  water  in  different  parts  of  the  country  has  come  down  recently  and groundwater level is depleting rapidly, if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same along with the current level of groundwater in each State;

(c)  the  details  of  schemes/programmes/  projects  launched  to  tackle  the  situation  and  the  funds  made available/utilised under each scheme/programme/project during each of the last as well as current plan period till date, State-wise; and

(d) the future plan of the Government to check depleting groundwater level and towards sufficient rain water harvesting in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a)    The  average  annual  per  capita  availability  of  water  in  the  Country,  taking  into  consideration  the population of the Country as per year 2011 Census is 1545 cubic meters.  The estimated per capita Average Annual Water Availability by 2025 is likely to be 1340.94 cubic meters.  Details of State-wise per capita availability of water are not available as surface water resources are estimated basin-wise. As per the latest assessment (as on March 2011) of replenishable ground water resources, jointly assessed by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Ground Water Organizations, the total annual replenishable ground water resource in the Country is around 433 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) and net annual ground water availability is 398 BCM.

(b)    Ground  water  is  primarily  being  used  for  irrigation,  drinking  and  industrial  purposes  due  to  growing urbanization, industrialization and population, as a result of which, ground water levels in various parts of the Country are declining.  Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR  carries  out  ground  water  monitoring,  four  times  a  year,  on  regional  scale  through  a  network  of observation wells in the Country.  Water level data for pre-monsoon 2016 compared with decadal mean of pre-monsoon (2006-2015) indicates decline in ground water level in 66% of the wells monitored.  Details are given at Annexure.

(c) & (d)  Several measures have been taken up by the Central Government to replenish ground water in the Country:

· 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 of the policy.

· 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 also 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 85 BCM (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.

· Special focus is given through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water.  In addition, priority has been given for construction of farm ponds in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.

· One of the major activities under the 'Watershed Development' component of the 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)', inter-alia, includes rainwater harvesting.

· Besides, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has issued advisories to the Chief Secretaries of all States  and  the  Administrators  of  all  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.

· 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.

· CGWB has been organizing mass awareness programmes in the Country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.

· 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.  'Jal Gram Yojana' component of 'Jal Kranti Abhiyan' envisages selection of two villages in every district, preferably 'over-exploited' or facing acute water scarcity, as 'Jal Grams' to ensure optimum and sustainable utilization of water.

Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *451 for 17.11.2016 regarding 'Depletion in Groundwater Level'

## State-wise Decadal  Water Level Fluctuation With Mean [Pre-monsoon (2006 to 2015] and Pre-monsoon 2016

| S. No.         | Name of State     | No. of wells Analysed   | Rise   | Rise   | Fall   | Fall   | Wells showing no change   | Wells showing no change   |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| S. No.         | Name of State     | No. of wells Analysed   | No.    | %      | No.    | %      | No.                       | %                         |
| 1              | Andhra Pradesh    | 547                     | 236    | 43     | 308    | 56     | 3                         | 0.5                       |
| 2              | Arunachal Pradesh | 14                      | 10     | 71     | 4      | 29     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 3              | Assam             | 182                     | 84     | 46     | 98     | 54     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 4              | Bihar             | 551                     | 180    | 33     | 369    | 67     | 2                         | 0.4                       |
| 5 Chandigarh   |                   | 11                      | 4      | 36     | 7      | 64     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 6              | Chhattisgarh      | 616                     | 165    | 27     | 451    | 73     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 7 Dadra        | &Nagar Haveli     | 12                      | 6      | 50     | 6      | 50     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 8 Daman        | &Diu              | 10                      | 2      | 20     | 8      | 80     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 9 Delhi        |                   | 115                     | 26     | 23     | 89     | 77     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 10 Goa         |                   | 70                      | 41     | 59     | 29     | 41     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 11             | Gujarat           | 738                     | 254    | 34     | 475    | 64     | 9                         | 1.2                       |
| 12             | Haryana           | 643                     | 184    | 29     | 454    | 71     | 5                         | 0.8                       |
| 13 Himachal    | Pradesh           | 95                      | 36     | 38     | 59     | 62     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 14 Jammu       | &Kashmir          | 225                     | 83     | 37     | 142    | 63     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 15             | Jharkhand         | 212                     | 86     | 41     | 126    | 59     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 16             | Karnataka         | 1380                    | 415    | 30     | 949    | 69     | 16                        | 1.2                       |
| 17             | Kerala            | 1240                    | 454    | 37     | 779    | 63     | 7                         | 0.6                       |
| 18 Madhya      | Pradesh           | 1343                    | 502    | 37     | 838    | 62     | 3                         | 0.2                       |
| 19 Maharashtra |                   | 1487                    | 437    | 29     | 1041   | 70     | 9                         | 0.6                       |
| 20 Meghalaya   | 17                |                         | 6      | 35     | 11     | 65     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 21 Odisha      |                   | 1103                    | 395    | 36     | 705    | 64     | 3                         | 0.3                       |
| 22 Puducherry  |                   | 6                       | 5      | 83     | 1      | 17     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 23 Punjab      |                   | 613                     | 129    | 21     | 482    | 79     | 2                         | 0.3                       |
| 24 Rajasthan   |                   | 829                     | 346    | 42     | 481    | 58     | 2                         | 0.2                       |
| 25 Tamil       | Nadu              | 587                     | 345    | 59     | 242    | 41     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 26 Telangana   | 377               |                         | 66     | 18     | 308    | 82     | 3                         | 0.8                       |
| 27             | Tripura           | 28                      | 21     | 75     | 7      | 25     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 28             | Uttar Pradesh     | 629                     | 95     | 15     | 534    | 85     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 29             | Uttarakhand       | 44                      | 21     | 48     | 23     | 52     | 0                         | 0.0                       |
| 30             | West Bengal       | 899                     | 310    | 34 34  | 589    | 66 66  | 0 64                      | 0.0                       |
|                | Total             | 14623                   | 4944   |        | 9615   |        |                           | 0.4                       |