Lok Sabha Question No. 171 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-02
Subject: Conservation of Ground Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: DHARAM VIRA GANDHI, KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, RAHUL KASWAN

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 171 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2017

## CONSERVATION OF GROUND WATER

## 171. SHRI DHARAM VIRA DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI SHRI RAHUL KASWAN

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

(a) whether the Government has prepared a basic framework for the draft model Act/policy aimed at conserving ground, surface and rain water, thereby stressing on using treated water optimally; (b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to conserve fast depleting ground water levels through aquifer recharge in the country particularly drought-hit areas such as Marathwada and Bundelkhand?

## ANSWER

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

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  & (b)  Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR has formulated the National Water Policy (2012) formulated which, 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.

Besides, the Union Government circulated a Model Bill in 1970 to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development, which included provision for  rain  water  harvesting.  The  Model  Bill  was  re-circulated  in  1992,  1996  and  again  in  2005  for adoption.  The Model Bill stipulates:

- Establishing  of  State  Ground  Water  Authorities  to  frame  policies  for  administration  of  the legislation.
- Empowering State/UT Government to control and/or regulate the abstraction of ground water. Requiring users of ground water to seek permission from the State Ground Water Authority to sink a well in the notified area.
- Mandatory provision for construction of artificial recharge structures of appropriate size by the ground water user seeking permission for sinking of wells.
- In  the  revised  Model  Bill  circulated  in  2005,  a  new  chapter  on  Rain  Water  Harvesting  for Recharge  to  ground  water  was  introduced.    So  far,  15  States/UTs  have  adopted  and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.

(c)  Steps taken by Central Government to conserve depleting ground water levels in the Country, inter-alia, include :

- 'Master Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India'  has  been  prepared,  which envisages construction of different types of Artificial Recharge and Rainwater Harvesting

structures  in  the  Country  including  Maharashtra  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  Master  Plan  has been circulated to all States/ UTs for implementation.

- Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  implemented  demonstrative  artificial  recharge project during XI plan period in 22 States for replication of the same by State Governments. One such project was taken up in Mauranipur of Jhansi district in Bundelkhand region.
- Central Ground Water Authority (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  including  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Maharashtra  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.
- Ministry of  Water Resources, RD & GR 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 including Maharashtra  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.  The  areas  where  Aquifer Mapping and Management programme is being taken up include 4 districts in Marathwada region and 8 districts in Bundelkhand regions.
- Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR has also launched 'Jal Kranti Abhiyan' (2015-16 to 2017-18)  in  order  to  consolidate  water  conservation  and  management  in  the  Country including Marathwada and Bundelkhand regions through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, making it a mass movement.
- CGWB  has  been  organizing  mass  awareness  programmes  in  the Country  including Marathwada  and  Bundelkhand  regions  to  promote  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial recharge to ground water.
- Special focus is given through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)  for  water  conservation  and  water  harvesting  structures  to  augment  ground water.  In addition, priority has been given for construction of farm ponds in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.
- 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.
- 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.

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