Lok Sabha Question No. 5307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Rainwater Harvesting
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Janardan Singh Sigriwal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5307

## ANSWERED ON 25 .0 7.2019

## RAINWATER HARVESTING

## 5307. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that rainwater harvesting in the country is less than pre

- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the steps have been taken b y the Government in this direction during the last three year so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the concrete measures being taken by the Government for rainwater harvesting in the count

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)  to  (d) As  per  assessment , India  receives  annual  precipitation  of  about  4000  BCM  (Billion Metre). After accounting for evaporation and evapo - transpiration etc, the average annual water availability in the Country has been assessed as 1869 BCM as natural run - off. It has been estimated that owing topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water is 1122 BCM which comp BCM of surface water and 432 BCM of t tal annual ground water recharge. The Country has an estim live storage capacity of 257.812 BCM.

As per information forwarded by Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs , the Model Building Bye  Laws,  2016,  has  been  issued  for  guidance  of  the  States/UTs  wh ich  has  a  chap ter  on  'Rainwater Harvesting'. 32  States/UTs  have  adopted  the  rainwater  harvesting  provisions.  The  provisions chapter are applicable to all the buildings.  The implementation of the rainwater harvestin within the purview of the State Government/Urban Local Body / Urban Development Authority.  As Model Building Bye Laws - 2016, provision of rainwater harvesting is applicable to all reside above 100 sq.m.

Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  written  a  letter  to  all  Sar panchs  on  08.06.2019  regarding  the importance of water conservation and rain harvesting and exhorted them to adopt all appropri to make water conservation a mass movement.

The issue of sustainable water management was also discussed with the concerned M and officials of the State Governments by Minister, Jal Shakti in a meeting held on 11.6.2019

An 'Inter Ministerial Committee' under the Chairmanship of Secretary ( WR, RD & GR) has been  constituted  to  take  forward  the  subject  of  'Water  Conservation  Related  Activities  for  Optimum Utilization  of  Monsoon  Rainfall'  which  meets  from  time  to  time  to  discuss  the  issue  of  water conservation.  The  Committee  includes  officers  f rom  different  States/UTs.  Last  meeting  of  the  In -Ministerial Committee was held on 01/05/2019.

Cabinet Secretary also discussed the issue of water management with the Chief Secret the States through video -conference on 21.05.2019.

Government o f India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan which is a time bound campai a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water condit water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India. In this regard, team of officers fro Central Government along - with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti have been deputed to visit water st and  to  work  in  close  collaboration  with  district  level  officials  to  undertake  suitable  d supply si de interventions.

Central  Government  supports  construction  of  water  harvesting  and  conservation primarily  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS), Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana -Watershed  Development  Co mponent  (PMKSY - WDC)  and PMKSY - Per  Drop  More  Crop.  Under  these  Schemes,  17,56,207  water  conservation  and  recha structures have been const ructed at an expenditure of Rs. 23,435.67 crore in the last three years.

follo

In  addition,  Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management conservation and artificial recharge to ground water in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. The important measures taken by the Central Government for conserv ation, management of ground water and effective implementation of rain water harvesting in the country are at the http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf

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