Lok Sabha Question No. 2026 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Incentive for Water Conservation
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2026

ANSWERED ON 28.07.2022

## INCENTIVE FOR WATER CONSERVATION

## 2026   SHRI KHAGEN MURMU

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  evolved  any  strategy  to  incentivise  water  conservation  to  address  the alarmingly critical fall in the water table in the country; and

- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) Water being a state subject, the works related to water resources development & management are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments as per their own resources and priorities. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes.

Financial assistance for water conservation, rainwater harvesting, water use efficiency, ground water recharge, micro-irrigation  infrastructure  for  facilitating  use  of  sprinkler/  drip/  pivots  irrigation  systems,   repair, renovation & restoration of water bodies etc. is provided to States under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) under different components of the Scheme namely Har Khet Ko Paani (HKKP), Command Area  Development  and  Water  Management  (CADWM)  Programme,  Watershed  Development  Component (WDC), Per Drop More Crop (PDMC).

Department  of  Rural  Development  implements  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), a demand driven wage employment programme in rural areas. Financial assistance is extended under MGNREGS for works relating to Natural Resource Management (NRM) which include public works related to water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures.

The  Government  is  implementing  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  (ATAL  JAL)  for  sustainable  management  of groundwater resources with community participation in identified water stressed areas. Ministry of Jal Shakti has  also  been  implementing  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  since  2019  for  boosting  water  conservation  efforts  in  the country.

Department of Water Resource, RD&GR has instituted National Water Awards to incentivise best practices in water conservation and ground water recharge.

In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/harvesting such as 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyaan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra, 'Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan' in Gujarat, 'Mission Kakatiya' in Telengana, 'Neeru Chettu' in Andhra Pradesh, 'Jal Jeevan Hariyali' in Bihar, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana and 'Kudimaramath' scheme in Tamil Nadu.

The other steps taken by the Central Government for sustainable groundwater management  are available at http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_depletion\_july2022.pdf