Lok Sabha Question No. 2993 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-12
Subject: Depletion of Ground Water Level
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Malook Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2993

ANSWERED ON 12 .0 3.2020

## DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER LEVEL

## †2993. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any plan to deal with the problem of depletion of ground wate so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has any plan to ensure ground water recha rge th ough rain water; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)  to (c)  Ground  water  levels  in  various  parts  of  the  Country  are  declining  because  of withdrawal due to reasons such as increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagari increased population, industrialization & urbanization et c.

Water being a State subject, efforts to initiate suitable demand side and supply sid including conservation and management of water resources is primarily States' responsibility. However, steps taken by the Central Government in this regard are at the following URL: http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf .

Further, a number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/h Of these, mention can be made of 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra, 'Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan' in Gujarat, 'Mission Kakatiya' in Telangana, Neeru Chettu' in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana among others.

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a time bound campaign with a missio approach intended to improve water availabilit y including ground water conditions in the water str blocks  of  256  districts  in  India.  In  this  regard,  teams  of  officers  from  Central  Governm -with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti were deputed to visit water stressed distric nd to work n close collaboration with district level officials to undertake suitable interventions.

The Ministry of Rural Development in consultation and agreement with the Department Resources, RD & GR and the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare has developed an actionable framework  for  Natural  Resources  Management  (NRM),  titled  'Mission  Water  Conservation'  to  ensure gainful utilization of funds. The Framework strives to ensure synergies in Mahatma Gandhi Na Employment  Guarant ee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY), erstwhile Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) (now PMKSY - Watershed Development Component) and Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM), given their common objecti ves. Types of common works undertaken under these programmes/schemes are water conser and management, water harvesting, soil and moisture conservation, groundwater recharge, flood land development, Command Area Development & Watershed Man agement.