Lok Sabha Question No. 915 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-27
Subject: Falling Water Levels
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 915

ANSWERED ON 2

## 7.06.2019

## FALLING WATER LEVELS

## 915. SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that water levels in India's major reservoirs have fallen to 21 per cent of the average of the last decade and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether according to June 2018 NITI Aayog report, water demand will be twice the present s and India could lose up to 6 per cent of its GDP and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is implementing water harvesting schemes to make adequate water a e; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  provided  Central  assistance  for  repair  and  maintenance  of embankments meant for water harvesting to various States and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)Central Water Commission monitors live storage status of 91 reservoirs of the country weekly bulletin on every Thursday. As per latest bulletin dated 20.06.2019, live storage ava these reservoirs is 27.265 billion cubic meter (BCM), which is 93% of live storage of average of la

(b) Yes, Sir. According to the report titled 'Composite Water Management Index (CWMI)', published by NITI Aayog, by 2030 the country's water demand is projected to be twice the available supply an eventual 6% loss in the country's GDP by 2050 . As per the report of National Commission for Integr Water Resources Development, water requirement by 2050 in high use scenario is estimated t be 1180 BCM, outstripping the total availability of 1137 BCM.

(c) & (d) Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  &  conservation  inclu water harvesting is primarily States'  responsibility.  Central  Government  supports constructi on of water harvesting  and  conservation  works  primarily  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Emplo Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  aided  by  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana -Watershed Development  Component  (PMKSY - WDC)  and  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinch ayee  Yojana -Per  Drop More  Crop.  Under  these  Schemes,  during  the  last  three  years,  17,56,027  water  harves conservations works ha ve been completed for which Rs. 23,435.67 crore was released as Central share.

Other  measures  taken  by  the  Central  Government  to  control  water  depletion  and  prom water harvesting / conservation are at the following URL: http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf

Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), a World Bank, funded project was st April 2012 with an objective to improve safety and operationa l formance of selected dams along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach. This is a State Sector S Central Component. The project c ost is Rs. 3466 crore and scheduled to be completed in June 2020. project has rehabilitation provision for 223 dams located in seven States namely Jharkhand, Kerala,  Madya  Pradesh,  Orissa,  Tamil  Nadu  and  Uttarakhand.  The  Project  has  a  back  to  b arrangement without any Central Assistance.

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