Lok Sabha Question No. 2958 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: Over Exploitation of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sukhbir Singh Badal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2958

ANSWERED ON 05.12 .2019

## OVER EXPLOITATION OF WATER

## 2958. SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has made any policy or allocated any funds to contain over expl water in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to tack le the water scarcity in Punjab where 80 per cent block under over exploited category; and

(c) the steps taken/funds allocated for emerging problem faced by Punjab?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA

## )

(a)  to  (c)  Water  being  a  State  subject,  steps  to  contain  over  exploitation  of  water  in primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts Governments, Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through schemes and programmes. The Government of India has formulated National Water Policy 2012 recommends that declining ground water levels in over -exploited areas need to be arrested by introducing improved technologies of water use, incentivizing efficient water use and encouraging commu management  of  aquifers.  In  addition,  wherever  necessary,  artificial  recharging  project undertaken so that extraction i s less than the recharge. This would allow the aquifers to provide b to  the  surface  system,  and  maintain  ecology.  The  National  Water  Policy  was  sent  to  Stat appropriate action.

Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  has  launched  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA) ,  a  campaign  for  water conservation and water security, in 256 water stressed districts of the country including Punjab.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has prepared a conceptual document titled 'Master Plan for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water'  which  provides  information  about  area - specific  artificial recharge  techniques  to  augment  ground  water  resources  based  on  the  a vailability  of  source  water  and capability of subsurface formations to accommodate it. The Master Plan envisages constructi 1.11 crore artificial recharge/rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas, in Lakh artific ial recharge/ rain water harvesting structures in Punjab. The Master Plan is avail domain  and  has  also  been  circulated  to  the  State  Governments  for  implementation  incl Government of Punjab.

Central  Ground  Water  Autho rity  (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  under  Section  3  (3)  of 'Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of  regulation  and  control  of  ground  water development and management in the Country. CGWA has issued directives to all States / UTs measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting.

Central Ground Water Board is implementing a nationwide programme of  'National  Aquifer Mapping  and  Management  (NAQUIM)'  for  mapping  of  aquifers  (Water  bearing  formations),  their characterization and development of aquifer management plans to facilitate sustainable dev ground water resources. Aquifer maps and management plans have been shared with the respective St Government agencies. In Punjab, 50368 km 2 have been covered.

Model Building Bye Laws 2016 released by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs inc provisions for rainwater harvesting and it has been shared with all the States .So far 32 States / UTs have adopted the provisions of rainwater harvesting of MBBL -2016 including Punjab.

Central  Government  has  launched  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana (PMKSY)  for completion of 99 on -going Major/Medium irrigation projects having ultimate irrigation potential lakh hectares. In Punjab, two projects namely 'Extension of Kandi Canal Stage -II' and 'Rehabilitation of 1 st Patiala Feeder & Kotla Branch ' were included under 99 prioritized projects of PMKSY and have since been reported  as complet ed in 2016 - 17.  An  amount  of  Rs. 139.24 crore and Rs. 36.27  crore have been given to the Government of Punjab as Central Assistance for these projects respectively. Fur Kandi  Dam  Project,  Relining  of  Rajasthan  Feeder,  Sirhand  Feeder  Project  and  Kotla  Branc -II Project are currently receiving funding un der PMKSY in Punjab.

Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing Per Drop Crop component of PMKSY in Punjab, among other states, which mainly focuses on water use eff at farm level through precision irrigation (Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation System) and better on - farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources. From 2015 - 16  to  2018 - 19,  Rs. 53.18 crore has been released under PMKSY - Per Drop More Crop to Punjab and Rs. 15 crore ha s been allocated during 2019 - 20.

National Water Mission under Ministry of Jal Shakti has organized a workshop 'Sahi Fasal' in Amritsar  on  14.11.2019  for  sensitization  of  public  for  water  conservation  with  the  theme  'Increasing Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Sahi Fasal'. A similar workshop was held in New Delhi on 26 th & 27 th November 2019, with experts in the field of agriculture & water management.

Some initiatives/measures taken by Central Government to control water depletion and rain water har vesting / conservation are available at the URL:

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

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