Lok Sabha Question No. 2651 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Annual Per Capita availability of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2651

## ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## ANNUAL PER CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF WATER

## 2651 SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) the details of the per capita availability of water in the country at present;

(b) whether the average annual per capita availability of water in the country has come down drastically as per the official data of the Government and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the causes of this problem and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;

(d) whether the Government is aware that two third of the world population could be under stress due to water scarcity by 2025 as per various reports and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has made any study from the Indian point of view in this regard and if so, the outcome thereof; and

(f) the measures taken or being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a)  to  (e) Based  on  the  study  titled  'Reassessment  of  Water  Availability  in  India  using  Space  Inputs, 2019' conducted by Central Water Commission, the average annual per capita water availability for year 2021 and 2031 has been assessed as 1486 cubic meter and 1367 cubic meter respectively. Annual percapita water availability of less than 1700 cubic meters is considered as water stressed condition, whereas annual per-capita water availability below 1000 cubic meters is considered as a water scarcity condition. Due to high temporal and spatial variation of precipitation, the water availability in many regions of the country is below the national average and may be facing water stress / scarce conditions.

(f) Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources  are  primarily  undertaken  by  the  respective  State  Governments.  In  order  to  supplement  the efforts of the State Governments, Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes.

Government of India, in partnership with State, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024.

Government of India has launched AMRUT 2.0 on 1 st October, 2021, covering all the statutory towns of the country to ensure universal coverage of water supply & make cities 'water secure'.

To ensure optimum utilization of water, Government of India has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi SinchayeeYojna (PMKSY) from 2015-16 onwards. Under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP),  99  ongoing  major/medium  irrigation  projects  were  prioritized  during  2016-17,  in consultation with States. The extension of PMKSY for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 has been approved by Government of India, with an overall outlay of Rs. 93,068.56 crore.

The Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) Programme has been brought under PMKSY - Har Khet Ko Pani from 2015-16 onwards. The main objective of taking up CAD works is  to  enhance  utilisation  of  irrigation  potential  created,  and  improve  agriculture  production  on  a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).

'SahiFasal' campaign was launched to nudge farmers in the water stressed areas to grow crops which are not water intensive, but use water very efficiently; and are economically remunerative; are healthy and  nutritious;  suited  to  the  agro-climatic-hydro  characteristics  of  the  area;  and  are  environmentally friendly.

Atal Bhujal Yojana, a World Bank aided Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India with an outlay of Rs 6000 crore, is being implemented with a focus on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable ground water management in identified water stressed areas. The scheme is being  taken  up  in  seven  states,  viz.  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 th April, 2022 as a part  of  celebration  of  Azadi  ka  Amrit  Mahotsav  with  an  objective  to  conserve  water  for  future.  The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan-I (JSA-I) was conducted in 2019 in 1592 blocks out of 2836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts of the country and was expanded as 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan:Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) in 2021 with the theme 'Catch the Rain - Where it Falls When it Falls' to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country.  'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) -2022 campaign, the third in the series of JSAs, has been launched on 29.3.2022 to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country.

The Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) has been set up for promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, industrial and domestic sector. The Bureau will be a facilitator for promotion  of  improving  water  use  efficiency  across  various  sectors  namely  irrigation,  drinking  water supply, power generation, industries, etc. in the country.

The important steps taken by the Central Government to control water depletion and promote rain water harvesting/conservation are available at the URL: http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_depl etion\_july2022.pdf

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