Lok Sabha Question No. 1285 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-09
Subject: Conservation of Water Resources
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SANJAY(KAKA) RAMCHANDRA PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1285

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2018

## Conservation of Water Resources

## 1285. SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  efforts  being  made  by  the  Government  to  conserve  the  existing  water resources and to explore new water resources in the country;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  formulate  any  scheme  save  water resources in the long term;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to involve Non-Governmental Environmental organisations in the scheme; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (e) The  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  and  Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR)  has been implementing the following schemes/plans for conservation of water resources :
- (i) Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)  with  the  objective  of enhancing  physical  access  to  water  on  farms,  improve  farm  water  use  efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
- (ii) Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies, including ponds & tanks,  which  aims  at  improving  catchment  area  of  tank  commands,  increasing storage capacity, ground water recharge and increased availability of drinking water by promotion of conjunctive  use of surface and ground water, etc.
- (iii) Implementation of National Water Mission with the objective of  conservation of  water,  minimizing  wastage  and  ensuring  its  more  equitable  distribution  both across  and  within  States  through  integrated  water  resources  development  and management.
- (iv) Ground Water Management and Regulation to conserve and replenish ground water in the country. As a part of this programme, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)  has  issued  advisories  to  all  States  to  take  measures  to  promote/adopt artificial  recharge  to  ground  water/rain  water  harvesting.  Central  Ground  Water Board  (CGWB)  has  also  been  organizing  mass  awareness  programmes  in the

country to promote water conservation & rain water harvesting. Special focus is also given through MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)  scheme  for  water  conservation  and  water  harvesting  structures  to  augment ground water.

The  National  Water  Policy-2012  formulated  by  MoWR,  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 policy document has been forwarded to  all  States  and  concerned  Ministries/Departments  of  Central  Government  for adoption of policy.

This Ministry has also been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution and conservation of rivers, lakes & wetlands under the programmes of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)  and National Plan  for  Conservation  of  Aquatic  Eco-systems  (NPCA),  on  a  cost  sharing  basis between the Central and State Governments.

NRCP has so far covered polluted stretches of 32 rivers  in 76 towns spread over 14 States in the country at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 4579.56 crore (excluding Ganga and its tributaries), and Central share of Rs. 2207.97 crore has been released to the State Governments  for  implementation  of  various  pollution  abatement schemes.   Sewage treatment capacity of 2455.43 mld  (million litres per day)  has been created so far under the NRCP.  Under NPCA, an amount of Rs. 167.96 crore has been released so far to the States and other organizations for conservation and management of 82 identified wetlands in the country. Similarly, this Ministry has so far  sanctioned  projects  for  conservation  of  64  lakes  at  a  total  cost  of  Rs.  1118.08 crores.  So  far,  Central  share  of  Rs.719.627  crore  has  been  released  to  the  State Governments for the sanctioned projects and work on 36 lakes has been completed.

State  Governments,  apart  from  their  own  budgetary  allocation,  are  also accessing  financial  assistance  for  creation  of  sewerage  infrastructure,  including STPs,  in  various  cities/towns  under  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs as well as Namami Gange programme of MoWR, RD&GR.

To  control  discharge  of  industrial  effluents,  the  CPCB  and  respective  State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees  monitor  industries with respect to effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  and  the  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

This Ministry under the ''Swachh aur Swastha Bharat'' campaign encourages Shram-dhan  with  the  participation  of  public,  NGOs  and  involving  stakeholders  for cleaning of river banks and surroundings of lakes.

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