Lok Sabha Question No. 3839 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-09
Subject: Conservation of Natural Sources of Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: BHARATI DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO.

## †3839

ANSWERED ON 09.0 8.201 8

## CONSERVATION OF NATU RAL SOURCES OF WATER

## †3839. DR. BHARATIBEN D. SHYAL

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

- (a) whether natural sources of water are drying across various States of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the action plan prepared b y the Government for conservation of natural sources of water lakes, ponds etc. which are getting dry continuously in the country?

## ANSWER

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

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) & (b) Central Water Commission under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD & GR) carries out hydrological observation on al important/major rivers in the country and as per the record of annual average flow during the last twenty years in these rivers, no trend of drying of rivers is visible.

As  per  the  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resource  Assessment  of  the  country  (2013),  join carried out by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments, depletion of ground water due to over - exploitation of resources have been observed in certain parts of various S the country. Out of the total 6584 numbers of assessment units in the Country, 1034 un have been categorized as ' Overexploited', where ground water extraction is more than net annual ground water availability and there is significant long - term decline in water levels.

(c)Water  being  a  State  subject,  conservation  and  recharging  of  natural  sources  of  w under taken by the respective State governments. Central Government supplements the efforts State Governments by providing technical and financial assistance through various sche programmes.

The steps taken by the Central Government for conservati on and recharge of natural sources of water are as follows:

- Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is currently implement the scheme National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco - systems (NPCA) for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country on cost sharing basis b Central Government and respective State Governments.

- For  more  effective  conservation  and  management  of  wetlands  in  the  country,  the Government  has  notified  the  Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2017 26.09.2017 superseding the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010.
- Centra l Government has launched scheme of Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) water  bodies  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana  (PMKSY). The  RRR  of  water bodies Scheme has multiple objectives like comprehensive improvement and restorati water bodies thereby increasing the tank storage capacity, ground water rec improvement of catchment areas of tank commands, etc.
- Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (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 far, CGWA has notified 162 areas in Country for the purpose of regulation of ground water.
- Central Ground Water Board (CGWB )  has  prepared  a  conceptual  document  titled  'Master Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India'  during  the  year  2013  envisaging construction of 1.11 crore Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge structures and  rural  areas.  The  Mast er  Plan  has  been  circulated  to  all  State  Governments  f implementation.
- CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme (NAQUIM) 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 ground water management plans, with community participation.
- 'Atal Bhujal Yojana', envisaging sustainable management of ground water with emphasis on demand side management th rough community participation in identified over - exploited and ground water stressed areas in priority States of Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Utta Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka has been proposed.
- MoWR, RD & GR has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to ena suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development. So far, 15 S have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model Bill

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