Lok Sabha Question No. 4187 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-18
Subject: Depleting Ground Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4187

ANSWERED ON 1 8.0 7.2019

## DEPLETING GROUND WAT ER

## 4187. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of rapid depletion of ground water in the country an action taken to regularise the use of ground water;

(b) whether the Government is aware of the use of ground water in large quantity for commercial purp and if so, the action taken in this regard;

(c) whether the Government analysed the catastrophic negative impacts of ground water deplet security and poverty and if so, the initiative tak en thereon;

(d) whether the Government proposes to introduce common pool resource model and if so, the the action taken thereon;

(e) whether the Government proposes to give priority to drinking water purpose and if so, th thereon ; and

(f) whether the Government proposes to restrict the extraction of ground water in critical details of action taken and the areas identified?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2017 assessment, Total Annual Ground Water Recharge is432 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) and the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is393 BCM. The Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses is 249 BCM. The Stage of Ground Water Extraction, which is a measure of Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses igation, industrial and domestic uses) over Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 63% for the c whole.

Out  of  the  total  6881  assessment  units  (Block/  Taluks/  Mandals/  watersheds/  Firk country, 1186 units in 17 States/UTs have be en  categorized  as  'Over -exploited' where Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource . State - wise details are given at Annexure .

Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  written  a  letter  to  all  Sarpanchs 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.

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  from  different  States/UTs.  Last  meeting  of  the -Ministerial Committee was held on 01/05/2019.

Cabinet Secretary discussed the issue of water conservation with the Chief Secreta States through video -conference on 21.05.2019.

The issue  was  also  discussed  with  the  concerned  Ministers  and  officials  of Governments by Minister Jal Shakti in a meeting held on 11.6.2019.

In order to regulate the over - exploitation and consequent depletion of ground water, a Model Bill has been circulated to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legi regulation of its development, which includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, have adopted and implemented the ground water l egislation on the lines of Model Bill .

Further, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3 ( the  'Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of  regulation  and  control  of  ground  water development and management in the Country.

Government of 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. The other important initiatives taken up are available at the following URL http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019. pdf

(d) & (e)National Water Policy (2012) emphasizes that Water needs to be managed as a common pool community  resource  held,  by  the  S tate,  under  public  trust  doctrine  to  achieve  food  security, livelihood, and ensure equitable and sustainable d evelopment for all'. Further, it also prioritises water with safe water for drinking and sanitation as pre - emptive needs, followed by high priority allocation other basic domestic needs (including needs of animals), achieving food security, support ing sustenance agriculture and minimum eco - system needs. Available water, after meeting the above needs, sho allocated in a manner to promote its conservation and efficient use .

The National  Water Policy(2012) has  been  forwarded  to  all  States/UTs and concerned Ministries/Departments of Central Government for adoption.

(f) As per the directives of  Hon'ble  National  Green Tribunal, CGWA has stopped grant of NOC for ground water extraction for Industrial, Infrastructure unit and Mining projects loca ted in 'Over -exploited', 'Critical' and 'Semi -critical' assessment units except for drinking and domestic uses.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to part s ( a) to (c) of Unstarred Q.No. 4187 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 18.0 7.2019 regarding ' Depleting Ground Water '

## CATEGORIZATION OF BLOCKS/ MANDALS/ TALUKAS IN INDIA (2017)

| S.No.   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Semi-Critical   | Semi-Critical   | Critical   | Critical   | Over -Exploited   | Over -Exploited   |
|---------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------|------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| S.No.   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Nos.            | %               | Nos.       | %          | Nos.              | %                 |
|         | States                       |                               |                 |                 |            |            |                   |                   |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh               | 670                           | 60              | 9               | 24         | 4          | 45                | 7                 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh            | 11                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 3       | Assam                        | 28                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 4       | Bihar                        | 534                           | 72              | 13              | 18         | 3          | 12                | 2                 |
| 5       | Chattisgarh                  | 146                           | 22              | 15              | 2          | 1          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 6       | Delhi                        | 34                            | 7               | 21              | 2          | 6          | 22                | 65                |
| 7       | Goa                          | 12                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 8       | Gujarat                      | 248                           | 11              | 4               | 5          | 2          | 25                | 10                |
| 9       | Haryana                      | 128                           | 21              | 16              | 3          | 2          | 78                | 61                |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh             | 8                             | 1               | 13              | 0          | 0          | 4                 | 50                |
| 11      | Jammu & Kashmir              | 22                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 12      | Jharkhand                    | 260                           | 10              | 4               | 2          | 1          | 3                 | 1                 |
| 13      | Karnataka                    | 176                           | 26              | 15              | 8          | 5          | 45                | 26                |
| 14      | Kerala                       | 152                           | 30              | 20              | 2          | 1          | 1                 | 1                 |
| 15      | Madhya Pradesh               | 313                           | 44              | 14              | 7          | 2          | 22                | 7                 |
| 16      | Maharashtra                  | 353                           | 61              | 17              | 9          | 3          | 11                | 3                 |
| 17      | Manipur                      | 9                             | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 18      | Meghalaya                    | 11                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 19      | Mizoram                      | 26                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 20      | Nagaland                     | 11                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 21      | Odisha                       | 314                           | 5               | 2               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 22      | Punjab                       | 138                           | 5               | 4               | 2          | 1          | 109               | 79                |
| 23      | Rajasthan                    | 295                           | 29              | 10              | 33         | 11         | 185               | 63                |
| 24      | Sikkim                       | 4                             | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 25      | Tamil Nadu                   | 1166                          | 163             | 14              | 79         | 7          | 462               | 40                |
| 26      | Telangana                    | 584                           | 169             | 29              | 67         | 11         | 70                | 12                |
| 27      | Tripura                      | 59                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 28      | Uttar Pradesh*               | 830                           | 151             | 18              | 48         | 6          | 91                | 11                |
| 29      | Uttarakhand                  | 18                            | 5               | 28              | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 30      | West Bengal **               | 268                           | 76              | 28              | 1          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
|         | Total States                 | 6828                          | 968             | 14              | 312        | 5          | 1185              | 17                |
|         | Union Territories            |                               |                 |                 |            |            |                   |                   |
| 1       | Andaman & Nicobar            | 36                            | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 2       | Chandigarh                   | 1                             | 1               | 100             | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 3       | Dadra & Nagar Haveli         | 1                             | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 4       | Daman & Diu                  | 2                             | 0               | 0               | 1          | 50         | 0                 | 0                 |
| 5       | Lakshdweep                   | 9                             | 3               | 33              | 0          | 0          | 0                 | 0                 |
| 6       | Puducherry                   | 4                             | 0               | 0               | 0          | 0          | 1                 | 25                |
|         | Total UTs                    | 53                            | 4               | 8               | 1          | 2          | 1                 | 2                 |
|         | Grand Total                  | 6881                          | 972             | 14              | 313        | 5          | 1186              | 17                |

## Note

Blocks -Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, M.P., Manipur, Mizoram, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Utt

Uttarakhand, West Bengal Taluks - Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra

Mandals -Andhra Pradesh, Telangana

Districts/Valley -Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland

Islands -Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Firka- Tamil Nadu

Region

-Puducherry

UT -Chandigarh, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu

Tehsil - NCT Delhi

*Uttar Pradesh: There are total 820 block and 10 Cities

**The Ground Water resources assessment as on 2013 has been considered for the state of West Bengal

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