Lok Sabha Question No. 3114 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-16
Subject: Potable Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Devji Mansingram Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## 3114

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 16/12/2021

## POTABLE DRINKING WATER

## †3114.  SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

Will  the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   the  steps  taken  by the  Government  to  ensure  availability  of potable  drinking  water during the last three years in Jalore and Sirohi districts of Rajasthan;
- (b)   whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  continuous  annual  fall  in  ground  water  level  in Jalore and Sirohi districts;
- (c)   if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  plan/  scheme  formulated  by  the  Government  to recharge the ground  water level; and
- (d)   whether the Government has formulated any scheme to check the unchecked exploitation of ground water in Jalore and Sirohi districts of Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  Jal  after  subsuming  erstwhile  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Supply (NRDWP)  to  make  provision  of  tap  water  supply  to  every  rural  household  of  the  country including those in Jalore and Sirohi districts of Rajasthan, by 2024.

(b) to (d) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) monitors the ground water level at periodical interval on a regional scale throughout the country including Rajasthan. In order to monitor the long-term  fluctuation  of  water  level,  the  Decadal  mean  Water  level  of  November,  2010  November,  2019  has  been  compared  with  November,  2020,  which  indicates  that  about  61% wells  monitored in  Jalore  district  and  about  23%  in  Sirohi  district  are  showing  fall  in  ground water level.

CGWB has taken up aquifer mapping and management programme for delineation  of  aquifer disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/  area  specific  ground  water management  plans  with  community  participation  in  Jalore  and  Sirohi  districts  of  Rajasthan. National Project on Aquifer Management (NAQUIM) studies have also been taken up in these two districts along with High Resolution Aquifer Mapping and Management in Arid Regions of North-Western India (Heli-borne Geophysical Survey) in Jalore.

Moreover,  interaction  programme  has  been  carried  out  in  both  Jalore  and  Sirohi  districts  to disseminate the principles of the ground water management plans and percolation of message on water  conservation  and  protection  down  to  the  grass-root  level  and  to  develop  community participation  management  approach  in  water  sector.  In  2019,  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  was launched  to  bring  awareness  on  various  aspects  of  water  conservation  and  promote  rainwater harvesting  and  artificial  recharge.  In  2021,  this  campaign  has  been  extended  to  the  whole country.

Further,  Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  for  regulation  and control of ground water development and management in the country under Section 3(3) of the Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  CGWA  has  advised  States/UTs,  including  Rajasthan,  to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge of ground water/ rain water harvesting. The guidelines for control and regulation of groundwater extraction with pan-India applicability has also been notified on 24 September, 2020.

Important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water and effective implementation of rain water harvesting in the country are available in public domain at:

http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Feb2021.pdf

*****