Lok Sabha Question No. 2612 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-02
Subject: Ground Water (Sustainable Management) Bill, 2017
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2612

ANSWERED ON 02.0 8.201 8

## GROUND WATER (SUSTAI NABLE MANAGEMENT) BI LL, 2017

## 2612. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI

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

(a) the current status of the Ground Water (Sustainable Management) Bill, 2017;

(b) whether the Government plans to take any action based on the report s ubmitted by NITI Aayog which has predicted that nearly half of India's population could end up with no drinking water by 2030 and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai could run out of ground water by 2020 a so, the facts thereof; and

(d) the plan of the Government to tackle the situation along with the further action plan to water crisis in two and three tier cities of the country?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) The draft model Ground Water (Sustainable Management) Bill is under examination of this Minist before circulation to States for adoption.

(b)  to  (d)    NITI Aayog,  in  its  report  titled  'Composite  Water  Management  Index'  (June  2018)  has mentioned that 21 cities of India including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are expected to run out of groundwater by 2020. This is based only on the estimates of a nnual groundwater replenishment and its extraction. It does not take into account the ground water availability in the deeper

Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  including  conservation recharge to ground w ater is primarily States' responsibility.  However, following steps have been taken by the Central Government for conservation and sustainability of ground water in the Country:

- (i). Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  prepared  a  conceptual  document  titled  'Master  Plan  for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water - 2013' which provides information about area specific artificial recharge techniques to augment the ground water resources bas ed on the availability of source water capability of subsurface formations to accommodate it. The Master Plan envisages construc 1.11 crore artificial recharge structures in urban and rural areas at an estimated cost This comprises around 88 lakh recharge structures/ facilities utilizing rainwater direc and  more  than  23  lakh  artificial  recharge  and  rainwater  harvesting  structures  for  con runoff to augment the groundwater resources. It is e stimated that annually about 85,565 MCM of surpl run - off can be harnessed to augment the ground water. The Master Plan is available in p and has also been circulated to the State Governments for its implementation.
- (ii). The National Water P olicy (2012) formulated by Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, int - alia, advocates conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for a availability  of  water  through  rain  water  harvesting,  direct  use  of  rainfall  an d  othe manageme t measures.  The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  has  been  forwarded  to  all  State  Government concerned Ministries/Departments of Central Government for adoption.

- (iii). CGWA  has  been  constituted  under  'The  Environment (Protection)  Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country. So f has notified 162 areas in the Country for the purpose of regulation of ground water.
- (iv). CGWA has issued advisorie s to States and UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial ground  water/rainwater  harvesting.  30  States/UTs  have  made  rainwater  harvesting  man enacting laws or by formulating rules & regulations or by including provisions in buil ding bye - laws or through suitable Government Orders.
- (v). This Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact water legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision of rain w So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implement ed the ground water legislation on the lines of bill.
- (vi). CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme (NAQUIM) during XII Plan, unde the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The Aquifer Mapping is aimed to d aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/area  specif management plans, with community participation.
- (vii). Model Building Bye Laws, 2016 circulated by Ministry of Urban Development include the pr R ainwater  Harvesting.  As  per  Model  Building  Bye  Laws,  water  harvesting  through  storin runoff  including  rainwater  in  all  new  buildings  on  plots  of  100  sq.m  and  above  will Barring the States/UT of Manipur, Sikkim Mizoram and Lakshadwee p, all the States have incorpora the  provisions  in  their  respective  building  bye  laws.  The  plans  submitted  to  the  loc indicate the system of storm water drainage along with points of collection of rain w reservoirs or in re charge wells. Further, all building s having a minimum discharge of 10,000 litre a above per day shall incorporate waste water recycling system. The recycled water should horticultural purposes.
- (viii). Department of Land Resources is current ly implementing 8214 watershed development projects in States  covering  an  area  of  about  39.07  million  ha.  under  the  Watershed  Development (WDC)  of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)  principally  for  developm rainfed portio ns of net cultivated area and culturable wastelands. The major activities take WDC - PMKSY,  inter - alia,  include  ridge  area  treatment,  drainage  line  afforestation,  soil conservation, rain water harvesting, horticulture, and pasture development etc.
- (ix). The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  in  consultation  and  agreement  with  the  Ministry Resources, RD & GR and the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare has developed an actionable framework for Natural Resources Management (NRM), titled 'Mission Water Conservation' to ensure gainful utilization of funds. The Framework strives to ensure synergies in Mahatma Gan Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojan (PMKSY), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) and Command Area Development &  Water  Management  (CAD&WM),  given  their  common  objectives.  Types  of  common  works undertaken under these programmes/schemes are water conservation and management, water ha soil and moisture conservation, groundwater recharge, flood protection, land development, Area Development & Watershed Management.
- (x) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is carrying out training programs and IEC activities f building  and  awaren ess  creation  among  stakeholders  on  the  importance  of  water  conservat rainwater harvesting in augmenting the ground water resources.

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