Lok Sabha Question No. 2236 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-08
Subject: Ground Water Management
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, Shrirang Appa Barne, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2236

ANSWERED ON 08.0 3.201 8

## GROUND WATER MANAGEM ENT

## 2236. SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

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

(a) whether the Government is aware that water shortage is one of the biggest problems country faces today and poor management of available resources is a big reason for the s so, the facts thereof;

(b) whether the ground water meets ab out 60% of irrigation, 85% of rural drinking water and 50% urban drinking water requirement in the country and if so, the facts thereof;

(c) whether the rivers, lakes, ground water and other sources of water in the country ar -exploited and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether there is urgent need for participatory ground water management in the country the initiatives taken by the Government to encourage participatory ground water management (e) the steps taken by the Go vernment to find ways to preserve, protect and augment the avail water resources?

## ANSWER

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

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a)to (e)It has been observed that there is a progressive reduction in  per capita availabi in  the  Country.    This reduction  can  be  attributed to  increase  in  population,  rapid  urbanization industrialization and other related factors. As per year 2 001 census, the average annual per capita availability of water in the country was 1816 m 3 /year, which has reduced to 1545 m 3 /year as per 2011 census.    Further,  projections  for  the  year  2025  and  2050  are  1340  m 3 /year  &  1140  m 3 /year respectively.

As  per  the report  of  the  'Task F orce  on  Irrigation,  2009'  of  the  erstwhile  Planning Commission,  ground  water  meets  nearly  55%  of  irrigation  requirements  of  the  country meeting more than 85% of water requirement for domestic use in ru ral areas and over 50% for Urban areas.

Ground Water Resource Assessment of the Country is being periodically carried out jo Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments .   During the assessment year 2013, out of 6584 assessment units in the country, 1034 assessment units are categorized as 'Over -Exploited' .

As per Reassessment of Water Availability Studies carried out in 1993, the averag water  availability  in  the  country  has  been  assessed  as  1869  BCM  (Billion  Cubic  Met er).    It  is estimated that owing to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable BCM which comprises of 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground wat resources.

Water being a State subject, steps for a ugmentation, conservation and efficient management t ensure sustainability of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Participatory ground water management is one of the viable strategies for sustainable man ground  water. In  order  to  encourage  participatory  ground  water  management,  Government proposed Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  (ABHY)  aimed  at  sustainable ground  water  management  with community participation in selected over - exploited  and  ground  water  stressed  are as in seven States (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh). designed as a Central Sector Scheme with a total outlay of Rs. 6,000 Crore and is proposed to implemented with World Bank assistance.

O ther, steps taken by the Central Government for conservation of ground water are av the following URL http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/MeasuresForGW -Depletio n\_1.pdf .

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