Lok Sabha Question No. 404 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-15
Subject: Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: KRISTAPPA NIMMALA

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *404

ANSWERED ON 15.12.2016

## IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WATER RESOURCES

## *404.       SHRI NIMMALA KRISTAPPA

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

- (a) whether the Government has made or proposes to undertake any assessment on impact of climate change on water resources and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken steps to evaluate the consequences of climate change in river flow  or  groundwater  characteristics  and  also  identify  adaptation  strategies  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (c) the concrete measures taken/to be taken to tackle the situation?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

(SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)

- (a) to (c)  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement  referred    in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (c)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  *404 answered on 15.12.2016 raised by Shri Nimmala Kristappa, Member of Parliament regarding 'Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources'.

Central  Water  Commission  has  analysed  year-wise  water  availability  at  terminal  Hydrological Observation sites of important rivers. This does not show any specific trend of increase/decrease in water availability in the rivers.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has  conducted  an  impact assessment  of  climate  change  on  water  resources.    Accordingly,  the  impact  of  climate  change  and climate  variability  on  the  water  resources  are  likely  to  affect  irrigated  agriculture,  installed  power capacity, environment flows in the dry season and higher flows in wet season, thereby causing severe drought and flood problems in different parts of the country.

Another study by MoEF&CC projects a Water yield which is likely to increase for Himalayan region (5-20%)  and  central  portion  of  North-Eastern  region  (0-25%),  whereas  it  is  likely  to  decrease  for northern portion of North-Eastern  region (12%),  Western Ghats   (5-50%) and Coastal region (less than 40%).

The Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment of India, jointly assessed by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Ground Water Organizations, shows 1071 units in 16 States and 2 UTs as 'Over-exploited'    out  of  6607  assessment  units  (Firkas/Blocks/Mandals/Talukas/Districts)  in  the country.

The National Water Mission (NWM) in association with Asian Development Bank has conducted a study  on  'Operational  Research  to  Support  Mainstreaming  of  Integrated  Flood  Management  under Climate  Change'  in  Brahmani  -  Baitarni  &  Burhi  Gandak  river  basins.  The  study  suggests  the frequency of years with above normal monsoon rainfall and of years with deficient rainfall is expected to  increase.  Rainfall  events  are  projected  to  be  more  intense  and  possibly  less  frequent,  with predictable implications for flooding and drought.

To evaluate the consequences of climate change on river flows & groundwater characteristics as well as to identify adaptation strategies this Ministry has awarded seven Research Projects on Mahanadi, Mahi, Luni, Tapi, Subarnarekha, Sabarmati river basins and western basins from Tadri to Kanyakumari to the apex national level Institutes like Indian Institute of Technology/National Institute of Technology, etc.

The National Hydrology Project (NHP) has been launched for establishing a system for timely and reliable  water  resources  data  acquisition,  storage,  collation  and  management.  NHP  also  envisages providing tools/systems for informed decision making through Decision Support Systems (DSS) for water resources assessment, flood management, reservoir operations, drought management, etc.

National  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  Programme (NAQUIM) has been taken up by Central Ground Water Board as a part of the  'Ground Water Management and Regulation' scheme during XII Plan  period  (2012-17)  with  an  overall  objective  of  proper  assessment  and  community  based management  to  ensure  sustainability  of  ground  water  resources,  in  partnership  with  the  local communities. As on 30.06.2016, Aquifer mapping has been completed in an area of 3.46 lakh sq. km.

This  Ministry  has  taken  up  the  National  Groundwater  Management  Improvement  Programme (NGWMIP) as a Central Sector Scheme with the total financial outlay of Rs. 6000 crore, of which Rs. 3000 crore shall come as World Bank loan. Over a period of six years, this project, which has inherent linkages  with  NHP  and  NAQUIM,  will  implement  management  plans  prepared  under  NAQUIM initially in the States of Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, parts of Western UP and  Bundelkhand  to  cover  some  of  the  most  heavily  exploited  groundwater  areas  in  India  which confront serious groundwater availability and quality issues.

This Ministry is working in convergence with Ministry of Rural Development to work in a focused manner for recharge of the overexploited blocks under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee  Scheme;  Department  of  Land  Resources  for  Water  shed  Management;  and  Ministry  of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for optimal use of available water resources.

The Government of India has established National Water Mission (NWM) as one of the eight missions under  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change.  The  main  objective  of  NWM  is  'conservation  of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management'.

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