Lok Sabha Question No. 4674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-31
Subject: Depletion of Ground Water Level
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4674 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31/03/2022

## DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER LEVEL

## †4674. SHRI VIVEK NARAYAN SHEJWALKAR:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  most  of  the  schemes  relating  to  supply  of  water  in  rural  areas  under  Jal  Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal Yojana) are based on ground water and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether ground water level has been continuously depleting  rapidly all over the country;
- (c) if so, the scheme of the Government to recharge the water level of tubewells borings in such a condition;
- (d)   whether  adequate provision  of  funds  have  been  made  for  this  purpose under  this  scheme; and
- (e)   if so, the provisions made to develop sources of ground water for permanent solution to the problem  of  drinking  water?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) Since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household of the country, by 2024.

The  water  sources inter  alia which  include  groundwater  (open  well,  borewell,  tube  well, handpumps, etc.), ancient & traditional surface water (river, reservoir, lake, pond, springs, etc.) and rain water stored in small tanks are being used as sources for drinking water supply schemes. Drinking  Water  being  a  State  subject,  it  is  States,  who  plan,  design,  approve  and  implement drinking  water  supply  schemes.  Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. As such details of individual projects/ schemes for rural  water  supply  projects  including  water  source  for  scheme  are  not  maintained  at  the Government of India level.

Under JJM, provisions have been made for drinking water source development/ strengthening/ augmentation; and infrastructure for bulk transfer of water, treatment and distribution systems in water  deficit  drought-prone  and  desert  areas  without  dependable  ground  water  sources,  apart from creation of in-village water supply infrastructure.

In addition, provisions for taking up augmentation and strengthening of local & ancient drinking water sources in convergence with other schemes at village level viz. MGNREGS, 15th Finance Commission  tied  grants  to  Rural  Local  Bodies  (RLBs),  Integrated  Watershed  Management Programme (IWMP), State schemes, District Mineral Development Fund, CSR  funds, community contribution, etc. have also been envisaged under the JJM.

Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. For supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  States,  the  Central  Government  has  taken  various  steps  for sustainable ground water management in the country. Details are available at:

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

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