Lok Sabha Question No. 2643 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-02
Subject: Per-capita Availability of Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SANJAY JAISWAL, HARISH DWIVEDI

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2643

ANSWERED ON 02.0 8.201 8

## PER -CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF WATER

## 2643. DR SANJAY JAISWAL

## SHRI HARISH CHANDRA ALIAS HARISH DWIVEDI

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

(a) the existing per - capita availability of water in the country;

(b)  whether  the  per - capita  availability  of  water  is  reducing  in  the  country  and  if  so, the  details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any survey in each district of the country in t and if so, the details and outcome thereof;

(d) the steps taken to identify the new sources of water in each State along with the outc same; and

(e)  the  steps  taken/to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  availability  of  wa country?

## ANSWER

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

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) & (b) The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro- meteorological and geological factors and is generally constant. However, water ava per person is dependent on population of the country and for India; per capita water av the country is reducing progress ively due to increase in population. The average annual per ca water availability in the years 2001 and 2011 was assessed as 1820 cubic meters and 15 meters  respectively  which  may  reduce  further  to  1340  and  1140  in  the  years  2025  and respe ctively.

(c) to (e) Central Government has not conducted any survey regarding per capita avail water district - wise.

Water  being a  State  subject,  steps  for  augmentation,  conservation  and  ef management  of  water  resources  including  identification  of  new  sources  of  water  are  p undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments,Central  Government provides  technical  and  financial  assistance  to  them  thro various  schemes  and  programmes.  Central  Government  has  taken  various  steps  to improve availability of water in the country.

Central  Government  has  l aunched Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana  ( PMKSY)  in 2015- 16 which aims to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area assured irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water co practices, etc. During 2016- 17, 99 on-going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY -

Accelerated  Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) having potential of 76.03 lakh hectares were prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases up to December, 2019 their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works.

The  Government  of  India  has  formulated  a  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  for Water Resources  Development  which  envisages  transfer  of  water  from  surplus  basins  to  water basins to improve availability of water.

Central  Government  has  launched  the  National  Water  Mission  with  the  objective conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both ac and within States through integrated water resources development and management.

Some  other  initiatives/measures  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  conservatio improvement of availab ility of ground water are as under:

- 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  in  the country to harness 85 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) of water. The augmented ground wa resources will enhance the availability of water for various purposes. The Master been circulated to all State Governme nts for 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 p ep ration of aquifer/area specific ground water management plans, with community participation.
- Government has proposed 'Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  (ABHY)'  with  the  aim  to  improve  ground water  management  in  select  over -exploited  and  ground  water  stressed  areas in  identified priority States (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajastha Uttar  Pradesh)  through  implementation  of  various  interventions  to  ensure  lon - term sustainability of ground water resources with community participation.
- This  Ministry  has  circulated  a  Model  Bill  to  all  the  States/UTs  to  enable  them suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development which includes of rain water harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and impleme nted the ground water legislation on the lines of Model Bill.
- Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), constituted under 'The Environment (Protection) Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of  regulation  and  control  of  ground  water  development  and management in the cou ntry, has so far notified 162 areas in the country for the pur regulation of ground water.

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