Lok Sabha Question No. 1086 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-27
Subject: Water Audit Scheme
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1086

## ANSWERED ON 2 7.06.2019

## WATER AUDIT SCHEME

## 1086. SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether any Water Audit Scheme is prevailing in the country and if so, the modalities a Audit and the States covered under this Audit;

(b) the details of the status of the Audit for the last three years;

(c)  whether  this  Audit  also  covers  areas  like  water  budget,  measurement,  area  irrigat parameters and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Preliminary Irrigation Programme is prepared as an annual ritual and not cr ed bly;

(e) if so, the details thereof including the method to make it more scientific and usable drinking purposes?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)  to (c): Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry Shakti  does  not  implement  any  water  audit  scheme.    However,  water  being  a  State  subj Governments  take  several  measures  for  efficient  utilization  of  water within  the  States,  including  wate audit,  implementation  of  laws  and  penal  action  against  those  violating  the  rules/regulati matter.  The  Central  Government  supplements  the  measures  and  efforts  being  taken  up  by Governments.

Centr al  Water  Commission  had  brought  out  "General  Guidelines  for  Water  Audit  &  W Conservation" with the objectives introducing, standardizing and popularizing the water aud conservation of water in all sectors of water use and improve the water use efficiency.

The National Water Policy, 2012 also stipulates a system to evolve benchmarking for wat different  purposes,  i.e.,  water  foot - prints,  and  water  auditing  should  be  developed  to  promote incentivize efficient use of water.

Government of India has launched the National Water Mission with the objective of 'conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and through  integrated  water  resources development  and  management'.  Promoting  mandatory  water  audit including those for drinking water purposes is one of the strategies for achieving the go Water Mission.

(d) &(e) No, Sir. However, works related to water resources development & management are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves as per their own reso priorities. In  order  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments,  Government  of  India technical and financial ass istance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and e management  of  water  resources  through  various  schemes  and  programmes  such  as  scheme  for Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies, Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) etc. under PMKSY.

The SMI and RRR of water bodies schemes have multiple objectives like expanding cultiv under  assured  irrigation,  improving  water  use  efficiency,  ground  water  recharge,  impro restoration  of  water  bodies  thereby  increas ing  the  tank  storage  capacity  and  revival  of  lost  ir potential, increased availability of drinking water, improvement of catchment of tank command

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