Lok Sabha Question No. 3770 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-18
Subject: Expert Committee on Augmenting Water Table
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Geetha Viswanath Vanga

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3770

ANSWERED ON 1 8.03 .2021

## EXPERT COMMITTEE ON AUGMENTING WATER TAB LE

## 3770. SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  constituted  an  expert  committee/task  force  for  timely  re suggestions on augmenting the water table by harnessing rain water and if so, the details t hereof; (b) the steps taken by the Government to save/store the water for future needs that flow into (c) the details and the progress made during the last three years and the current year till d - wise?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)No expert committee/task force has been created by the Ministry for review/suggestions on the water table, however, an 'Inter Ministerial Committee' under the Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD &  GR)  has  been  constituted  to  take  forward  the  subje ct  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 from different States/UTs also.

(b) & (c) Water being a St ate subject, initiatives on water management including conservation a harvesting in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. However, the important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water and e ffective implementation of rain water harvesting in the country are at the following URL: -http:/ dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Feb2021.pdf.

In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field water conservation/harvesting. Of these, mention can be made of 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra, 'Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan' in Gujarat, 'Mission Kakatiya' in Telangana,  Neeru  Chettu'  in  Andhra  Pradesh,  Jal  Jeevan  Hariyali  in  Bihar,  'Jal  Hi  Jeevan'  in  Haryana among others.

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time bound campaign mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water con ditions in the water stressed blocksof 256 districts in India including in Punjab,Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. In this

regard, teams  of  officers  from  Central  Government  along - with  technical  officers  from  Ministry  of Shaktiwere deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration wi officials  to  undertake  suitable  interventions.  Further,  Ministry  launched  'JSA - II Catch  the  Rain'  on  21 December 2020 for awareness generation among peop le.

To have scientific inputs about the status of groundwater aquifers, CGWB is imple nationwide  programme of  'National  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  (NAQUIM)'  for  mapping  of aquifers (Water bearing formations), their characterization and development of aquifer mana to facilitate sustainable development of ground water resources. Aquifer maps and management plans are shared with the respective State Government agencies for taking up suitable demand side and supply s interventions . So far, around 15.57 lakh sq. km. area has been covered under NAQUIM against the to mappable area of 24.8 Lakh Sq KM in the country. Balance areas are targeted to be completed by 2023.

Central Government supports construction of water harvesting and conservation works through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  and  Pra dhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -Watershed Development Component (PMKSY- WDC). The expenditure on water related works under MGNREGA during the last three years is given at Annexure  I . Further, State - wise details of water harvesting structures created u nder PMKSY - WDC is given at Annexure II .

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## ANNEXURE - I

Annexu re  referred  to  in  reply  to  part (b) & (c) of Unstarred Question No. 3770 to be answered in Lok Sabha on  18.03.2021  regarding  'Expert Committee on Augmenting Water Table'.

| WATER CONSERVATION & WATER HARVESTING WORKS   |
|-----------------------------------------------|

Annexu re referred to in reply to part (b) & (c) of Unstarred Question No. 3770 to be answered i Lok Sabha on 18.03.2021 regarding 'Expert Committee on Augmenting Water Table'.

State - wise details of WHS created/rejuvenated under PMKSY - WDC during 2015 - 16 to 2020- 21 (as on 30.09.2020)

| Sl. No   | State             | WHS created /rejuvenated (in Nos.)   |
|----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 182075                               |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 441                                  |
| 3        | Assam             | 6797                                 |
| 4        | Bihar             | 6045                                 |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 7608                                 |
| 6        | Gujarat           | 39061                                |
| 7        | Haryana           | 3245                                 |
| 8        | Himachal Pradesh  | 6655                                 |
| 9        | Jammu & Kashmir*  | 4898                                 |
| 10       | Jharkhand         | 3630                                 |
| 11       | Karnataka         | 24430                                |
| 12       | Kerala            | 25296                                |
| 13       | Madhya Pradesh    | 27132                                |
| 14       | Maharashtra       | 9673                                 |
| 15       | Manipur           | 6814                                 |
| 16       | Meghalaya         | 1522                                 |
| 17       | Mizoram           | 9092                                 |
| 18       | Nagaland          | 2488                                 |
| 19       | Odisha            | 21292                                |
| 20       | Punjab            | 365                                  |
| 21       | Rajasthan         | 91869                                |
| 22       | Sikkim            | 125                                  |
| 23       | Tamil Nadu        | 40220                                |
| 24       | Telangana         | 19011                                |
| 25       | Tripura           | 2355                                 |
| 26       | Uttar Pradesh     | 20307                                |
| 27       | Uttarakhand       | 14634                                |
| 28       | West Bengal       | 13558                                |
|          | Total             | 5,90,638                             |

Note: Provisional and subject to change (As per information received from States) * erstwhile J&K

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