Lok Sabha Question No. 4673 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-15
Subject: Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge Structures
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4673

ANSWERED ON 15.12.2016

## RAINWATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE STRUCTURES

## 4673.         SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  proposed  to  harness  85  Billion  Cubic  Metre  (BCM)  of  water  through construction of 1.11 crore rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country, if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  in  this  regard  along  with  sufficient  financial allocation, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has set any time frame to implement the project and achieve the targets, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the efforts made by the Government to achieve the targets within the stipulated time?

## ANSWER

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

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) to (d) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India'  during  2013.  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  document  contains  State-wise  details  of  feasibility  of  artificial  recharge through  various  types  of  structures  suitable  to  the  local  conditions  in  respective  States/Union Territories. The Plan takes into consideration the existing ground water conditions, long term ground water level behaviour, geomorphology of the area as well as the experience gathered during Pilot & demonstrative projects taken up in various parts of the Country.  The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

Steps taken by the Government for rain water harvesting & artificial recharge are given below :

- 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, for focussed attention to overdrawn blocks. The  details  of  Water

Conservation & Watershed Management works undertaken by the MoRD are as under :

| Sl. No.   | Work Category        | 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  | Expenditure (Rs. In lakhs) | Total Works  | Expenditure (Rs. In lakhs) | Total Works                | Expenditure (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                  |

- 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  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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.

*****