Lok Sabha Question No. 5309 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Rainwater Conservation in Rajasthan
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Balak Nath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5309

ANSWERED ON 25 .0 7.2019

## RAINWATER CONSERVATI ON IN RAJASTHAN

## 5309. SHRI BALAK NATH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  conservation  of  rain  water  in  the  country  pa Rajasthan;

(b) whether the Government has undertaken any work/project for desilting of check dams to rejuvenate its capacity for conservation of rain water;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the success achieved therein; and

(d) the steps taken to overcome the hurdles posed by the mining and environment ministries al success achieved there in?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA

## )

(a)  to  (d) Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  written  a  letter  to  all  Sarpanchs on  08.06.2019  regarding  the importance of water conservation and rain harvesting and exhorted them to adopt all appropri to make water conservation a mass movement.

The issue of sustainable water management was also discussed with the concern ed Ministers and officials of the State Governments by Minister, Jal Shakti in a meeting held on 11.6.2019

An 'Inter Ministerial Committee' under the Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR) has been  constituted  to  take  forward  the  subject  of  'Water  Conse rvation  Related  Activities  for  Optimum Utilization  of  Monsoon  Rainfall'  which  meets  from  time  to  time  to  discuss  the  issue  of  water conservation.  The  Committee  includes  officers  from  different  States/UTs.  Last  meeting  of -Ministerial Committee was held on 01/05/2019.

Cabinet Secretary also discussed the issue of water management with the Chief Secr the States through video -conference on 21.05.2019.

Government of India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan which is a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water condit water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India, including 29 in Rajasthan. In this regard, from Central Government along - with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti have been dep visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level off suitable demand side and supply side interventions .

Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  including  conserva artificial recharge to ground water in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. The initiatives in this regard is available at the following URL:

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

As per information received from Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs , the Model Building Bye  Laws,  2016,  has  been  issued  for  guidance  of  the  States/UTs  which  has  a  chapter  on  'Rainwater Harvesting'.  The provisions of this chapter are applicable to all the buildings. 33 States / UTs, including Rajasthan,  have  adopted  the  rainwate r  harvesting  provisions.  The  implementation  of  the  rainw harvesting  policy  comes  within  the  purview  of  the  State  Government/Urban  Local  Body  / Development Authority.

Central  Government  supports  construction  of  water  harvesting  and  conservation orks primarily  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS), Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana -Watershed  Development  Component  (PMKSY- WDC)  and PMKSY - Per  Drop  More  Crop.  Under  these  Schemes,  17,56,207  water  conservation and  recharging structures  have  been  const ructed  at  an  expenditure  of  Rs. 23,435.67  crore  in  the  last  three  years. Rajasthan,  93,689  structures  have  been  constructed  under  these  S chemes  at  an  expenditure  of Rs. 1972.93 crore.

In  addition,  total  Centra l  Assistance  amounting  to Rs. 369.11  crore  has  been  released  to  the States upto March, 2019 under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) -Har Khet ko Pani -Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies Scheme.

'Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyaan (MJSA)' was launched by Rajasthan Government with  a  view  to  converge  various  schemes  and  to  bring  them  on  a  single  platform  to  conse Ministry  of  Environment, Forests  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF &  CC)  has  sanctioned  grant  of INR . 24, 97,75,000.00 from National Adaptation Fund for Climate change on 25.09.2017 for this p

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