Lok Sabha Question No. 876 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-21
Subject: Declining Water Availability
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pinaki Misra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES,

RIVER DEVELOPMENT &

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 876

## ANSWERED ON 21.11 .2019

## DECLINING WATER AVAI LABILITY

## 876. SHRI PINAKI MISRA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government acknowledges the declining per capita availability of water in th if so, the details thereof; and

(b) the steps being taken to reverse this decline and conserve w ter for future generations?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) The per capita availability of water in the country is reducing due to increase in p average annual per capita water availability in the years 2001 and 2011 was assessed as 1816 cu and 1545 cubic meters respectively which may further reduce to 1486 cubic meters, 1367 cub 1282 cubic meters and 1228 cubic meters in the years 2021, 2031 , 2041 and 2051 respectively.

(b) Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient manageme resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplemen of  the  State Governments,  Central  Government  provides  technical  and  financial  assistance  t through various schemes and programmes. Central Government has taken various steps to impr water availability in the country.

Ministry of Jal Shakti has been create d by the Government of India, integrating the erstw Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of D Water and Sanitation, with an aim to integrate water resources management under one umbrella the issues relating to water are dealt with in a holistic manner.

Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  has  launched  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA) - a campaign  for  water conservation and water security. During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and sci the  Government  of  India  are  working  together  with  State  and  district  officials  in  India's  most water stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management. Ministry of Housing and Affairs,  as  a  participating  Ministry  in  Jal  Shakti  A bhiyan,  has  issued  detailed  guidelines  for  wa conservation activities such as rain water harvesting, reuse of treated waste water, rejuve bodies and intensive plantation.

GANGA REJUVENATION

Central Government has formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Res Development  which  envisages  transfer  of  water  from  water  surplus  basins  to  water  defici improve availability of water.

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.

Keeping in view the need for water supply infrastructure and service delivery, Gove nm nt has launched Jal Jeevan Mission with an outlay of Rs. 3.60 lakh crore which aims at providing household tap connections to every rural household by 2024 at the service level of 55 litre day.

Central Ground Water Board is im plementing 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 w ater resources. Aquifer maps and management plans have been shared with the respect Government agencies.

Central  Ground  Water  Board  is  implementing  innovative  schemes  for  Aquifer  Rejuven under  'Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation'  scheme in  select  overexploited  blocks  of  th aspirational districts on pilot basis.

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

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

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