Lok Sabha Question No. 3653 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Development of Small Water Bodies
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shardaben Anilbhai Patel, Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3653

ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL WATER BODIES

†3653.  SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL(BAKABHAI)

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to develop small water bodies of villages such as ponds, canals and wells in order to reduce the dependency of agriculture on rain water and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  focus  on  the  development  of  these  sources  of  water  so  that  the farmers may save their cultivation by utilising these sources in adverse situations; and

(c) if so, whether any special scheme is likely to be implemented on a large scale for this purpose and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) to (c) Water resources projects, including development of small water bodies of villages such as ponds, canals and wells in order to reduce the dependency of agriculture on rain water, etc. are planned, funded, executed  and  maintained  by  the  State  Governments  themselves  as  per  their  own  resources  and  priorities. Role of  Government of India is  limited  to  being  catalytic,  providing  technical  support  and  in  some  cases partial financial assistance in terms with the ongoing schemes of Government of India.

Some of the initiatives taken by Government of India, to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in this regard, are as below:

1. Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), financial assistance is being provided, interalia,  for  repair,  renovation  and  restoration  of  identified  water  bodies.  Further,  inclusion  criteria  under  the scheme  has  been  recently  relaxed  considerably  to  enable  inclusion  of  more  such  water  bodies  under  the scheme.
2. In 2019, Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched by the Government. This was followed in  2021, by 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain' (JSA:CTR) campaign. Focused interventions under these annual campaigns taken up  by  the  Government  of   India  and  the  State  Governments,  include  activities  such  as  renovation  of traditional and other water bodies/ tanks, enumeration, geo-tagging and making inventory of all water bodies, and removal of encroachments of tanks/ lakes, and de-silting of tanks.

3. Government has launched the first Census of Water bodies in convergence with the Sixth round of Minor Irrigation Census (reference year 2017-18), under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- 'Irrigation Census'. The objective of the Census of Water bodies is to develop a national database of all water bodies in the country.

4.  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) has provisions for public works  relating  to  natural  resource  management,  water  conservation  and  water  harvesting  structures  to augment and improve ground water like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structures in public buildings.

5. Rejuvenation of water bodies, including traditional water bodies, is also a component under Water Supply sector  of  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  Scheme  under  Ministry  of Housing & Urban Affairs. Further, AMRUT 2.0 launched in October, 2021, with a total outlay targets to promote circular economy of water through development of city water balance plan for each city focusing on recycle/reuse of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation.