Lok Sabha Question No. 360 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Demand and Supply of Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 360 ANSWERED ON 19.0 7.201 8

## DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF WATER

## 360. SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

## Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the NITI Aayog has stated that India is suffering from th crisis in its history with about 60 crore people faci ng high to extreme water stress and about two lakh people dying every year due to inadequate access to safe water and if so, the deta facts thereof;

(b) whether it is also a fact that the country's water demand is projected to be twice of its a vailable supply by 2030 and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is contemplating any plan of action to face such challenge; an

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps proposed in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a)& (b) Yes, Madam. The report titled 'Composite Water Management Index', published by NITI Aayog in June 2018, mention s that 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and ab two lakh people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water. The report also ment by 2030, the country's water demand is projected to be twice the available supply. NITI Aayog has sourced  these  figures  from  the  reports  published  by WRI  Aqueduct; WHO  Global  Health Observatory, Mckinsey & Water Resources Group and the World Bank.

However,  as  per  National  Commission  for  Integrated  Water  Resources  Developmen (NCIWRD)  report,  the  total  water  availability  of  India  received  through  precipitation een assessed about 4000 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) per annum. After evaporation, 1869 BCM wate available as natural runoff. Due to geological and other factors, the utilizable water limited  to  1137  BCM  per  annum  comprising  690  BCM  of  sur face  water  and  447  BCM  of replenishable ground water.

Total requirement of the country for different uses for high demand scenario for 2010 and 2025 has been assessed as 710 BCM and 843 BCM respectively. Further, it is projected that in the year 2050, the country's total water demand is estimated at 1180 BCM , outstripping the total availability of 1137 BCM.

(c)  &  (d) Water  being  a  State  subject,  steps  for  augmentation,  conservation  and  ef management of water resources to ensure sustainability and availability are primarily undertake the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of State Governments Government provides technical and financial assistance through various schemes and progr C entral Government has taken various steps to tackle water crisis through various sch Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program Repair,  Renovation  &  Restoration  of  water  bodies,  implementation  of  new projects  like Pancheshwar  Dam,  Polavaram  Project,  Interlinking  of  Rivers  Project,  Dam  Rehabilitati Improvement Project, etc.

Central  Government  has  launched  PMKSY  in  2015 - 16 which  aims  to  enhance  physical access of water on farm and expand cultivab le area under assured irrigation, improve on farm wat use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc., thus bringing rural prosperity. During 2016 - 17, 99 on -going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY -Accelera ted  Irrigation  Benefits Programme (AIBP) having potential of 76.03 lakh hectare prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases up to December, 2019 their  Command  Area  Development  &  Water  Management  (CADWM)  works. The  CAD WM programme has been taken up to enhance utilization of irrigation potential created and agriculture production on a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) on 25 June, 2015 in five hundred cities across the co with major focus on water supply.

The Government of India has also formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Resources  Dev elopment  which  envisages  transfer  of  water  from  surplus  basins  to  water  d basins.

Some  other  initiatives/measures  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  conservati ground water are as under:

- Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has prepared a concep tual document titled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water - 2013' which provides information about area specific artificial recharge techniques to augment the ground water resources the availability of source water and capability o f subsurface formations to accommodate it. The Master Plan envisages construction of about 1.11 crore artificial recharge str urban and rural areas at an estimated cost of Rs. 79178 crore.
- CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management progra mme (NAQUIM) under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The Aquifer Mapping is aimed to delineate  aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  a specific ground water management plans, with community partici pation.
- 'Atal Bhujal Yojana', envisaging sustainable management of ground water with emphasis on demand side management through community participation in identified over -exploited and water scarce blocks in Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh , M harashtra and Karnataka has been proposed with an estimated cost of Rs. 6000 Crore.