Lok Sabha Question No. 1661 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-28
Subject: Drought Affected Districts
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1661

ANSWERED ON 2 8.11 .2019

## DROUGHT AFFECTED DIS TRICTS

## †1661. SHRI MAHABALI SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether a large number of districts in the country have been declared drought affected;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise; and

(c) the details of the corrective measures taken/being ta ken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)& (b) During Kharif 2019 (so far), only two States, namely, Manipur and Rajasthan, have d drought and submitted Memorandums seeking financial assistance from National Disaster Respon (NDRF). Manipur has declared drought in 14 districts and Rajasthan in 4 distri cts.

(c)      During  2015 - 16,  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY)  was  launched  by  Unio Government with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable a assured  irrigation,  improve  on  farm  water  use  efficiency, introduce  sustainable  water  conservation practices etc. During 2016 - 17, under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) -Accelerated Irrigation  Benefits  Programme  (AIBP),  99  on - going  Major/Medium  Irrigation  (MMI)  Projects  having ultimate  irrigation  p otential  of  76.03  lakh  ha.  and  balance  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  77,595  cr Assistance (CA) component of Rs. 31342.50 cr) have been prioritized in consultation with completion  in  phases  up  to  December,  2019  along  with  their  Command  Area  Dev elopment  &  Water Management (CADWM) works.

Out of the 99 prioritized projects, 59 projects are benefitting/partially benefitting t areas. Ultimate potential of these 59 projects is 47.03 lakh ha out of which 26.56 lakh ha w March, 2016. Further, a potential of 11.34 lakh ha has been created during 2016 - 19  through  these  59 projects.

In addition to above, special package for completion of 8 MMI & 83 Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI)  projects  benefiting  drought  prone  areas  of  Maharashtra  having  estimated  balance  c 13651.61 crore as on 01.04.2018 has been approved during 2018 - 19.  These projects are planned to b completed in phases by 2022 - 23. The targeted additional potential through these projects is 3.77 During 2018 - 19 and 2019 - 20 (so far) Rs. 500 crore and Rs. 295 crore have been released respec CA under Special Package.

Under  National  Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture  (NICRA),  attempts  m develop drought tolerant rice, wheat and pulses. Findings of NICRA have led to release of a -tolerant crop varieties.  ICAR - Central Research Institute for Dr yland Agriculture (CRIDA), along with other ICAR Institutes, State Agriculture Universities and Kisan Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), has District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACPs) for 650 districts, recommending location speci resilient cro ps and varieties and management practices for use by the state departments of agri farmers. The district - based agriculture contingency plans are also being updated in consortium mo participation of State Agriculture/ Horticulture and Vete rinary Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras an ICAR Institutes.

Central  Government  also  supports  construction  of  water  harvesting  and  conservatio through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and other such schemes.  Other steps taken by the Central Government to combat drought like situation, c depletion and promote   rain water harvesting/conservation are at URL:

http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf

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