Lok Sabha Question No. 3076 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Water Availability in Punjab
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Preneet Kaur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3076

## ANSWERED ON 04.08.2022

## WATER AVAILABILITY IN PUNJAB

## 3076 SHRIMATI PRENEET KAUR:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  any  policy/strategy  has  been  formulated  to  resolve  the  problem  of  depleting  water  table  in Punjab and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  empirical  research/study  to  assess  the  current  volume  of river water available in Punjab and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to set up any tribunal to assess/ascertain the availability of water in Punjab;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which such a tribunal would be set up; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government for ground water rejuvenation?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Water  being  a  State  subject,  water  management  including  formulation  of  policy/strategy  is  States' responsibility.  However,  a  number  of  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  sustainable management of groundwater in the country, including Punjab. The details in this  regard  can  be  accessed through web-link: http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_depletio n\_july2022.pdf. The salient features of these initiatives are as follows:

(i)  The  Ministry  has  finalized  the  National  Water  Policy  2012,  whose  provisions  can  be  appropriately utilized  while  framing  the  water  legislations  by  the  States/UTs.  The  water  policy  advocates  conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through rain  water  harvesting,  direct  use  of  rainfall,  water  demand  management,  increasing  water  use  efficiency, water pricing including incentivisation of recycle & reuse of water etc.

(ii)  Department has  circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for regulation of its development, which also includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 19 States/UTs, including Punjab, have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation.

(iii)  Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has formulated Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL), 2016 for the States/UTs, wherein adequate focus has been given on requirement of rainwater harvesting and water  conservation  measures. As  per  MBBL,  all  buildings  having  a  plot  size  of  100  sq.m.  or,  more  shall mandatorily include the complete proposal of rainwater harvesting. 33 States/ UTs, including Punjab, have adopted the features of the Bye Laws.

(iv) Government of India is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the country, including Punjab. JSA was launched in 2019 in water stressed blocks  of  256  districts.  In  2021,  JSA  was  taken  up  in  the  entire country, both rural and urban areas.  In 2022, JSA has been launched by Hon'ble President on 29.03.2022. The primary aim of JSA is to effectively harvest the monsoon rainfall through creation of artificial recharge structures,  watershed  management,  recharge  and  reuse  structures,  intensive  afforestation  and  awareness generation etc.

(b) Water being a State subject, estimation of quantum of river water available in Punjab is the responsibility of  the  State  Government.  However,  the  average  annual  utilizable  surface  water  resources  in  Indian  river basins is assessed as 690.10 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM). The Basin-wise details in this regard, including rivers passing through Punjab, are given at Annexure .

(c) & (d) A three member Ravi & Beas Waters Tribunal was set up in April 1986 to verify and adjudicate the matters regarding usage of water among States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The tribunal was made fully functional by appointing Chairman and Members in July 2020.

(e) Important  steps  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  sustainable  ground  water  management  in  the country, including Punjab, are given in reply to part (a) above.

Further,  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  launched  Amrit  Sarovar  Mission  on  24 th April  2022.  The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country, including Punjab, as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The Central Government is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana with an outlay of Rs. 6,000 crore, in collaboration with States, in certain water stressed areas of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  primary  aim  of  the  scheme  is  demand  side  management through scientific means  involving the local communities  at village levels leading to sustainable groundwater management in the targeted areas.

CGWB is implementing National Aquifer Mapping Program (NAQUIM) in the country, including Punjab, for its sustainable management. Out of the total mappable area of nearly 25 lakh sq km, nearly 22.10 lakh sq km of the area (as on 30th June 2022) in the country has been covered.  The NAQUIM study report alongwith management plans are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.

Water  is  a  State  subject  and  several  States  have  done  notable  work  in  the  field  of  water conservation/harvesting such as 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra,  'Sujalam  Sufalam  Abhiyan'  in  Gujarat,  'Mission  Kakatiya'  in  Telangana,  'Neeru  Chettu'  in Andhra  Pradesh,  'Jal  Jeevan  Hariyali'  in  Bihar,  'Jal  Hi  Jeevan'  in  Haryana,  'Pani  Bachao  Paise  Kamao' scheme in Punjab and 'Kudimaramath' scheme in Tamil Nadu.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3076 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK  SABHA ON 04.08.2022 REGARDING 'WATER AVAILABILITY IN PUNJAB'.

## The average annual utilizable surface water resources in Indian River Basins

| River Basin                                                | Utilisable Surface Water Resources (BCM)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Indus (up to Border)                                       | 46                                         |
| a) Ganga                                                   | 250                                        |
| b) Brahmaputra, c)Barak &Others                            | 24                                         |
| Godavari                                                   | 76.3                                       |
| Krishna                                                    | 58                                         |
| Cauvery                                                    | 19                                         |
| Subernarekha                                               | 6.80                                       |
| Brahmani &Baitarni                                         | 18.30                                      |
| Mahanadi                                                   | 50                                         |
| Pennar                                                     | 6.90                                       |
| Mahi                                                       | 3.10                                       |
| Sabarmati                                                  | 1.90                                       |
| Narmada                                                    | 34.50                                      |
| Tapi                                                       | 14.50                                      |
| West Flowing Rivers From Tapi to Tadri                     | 11.90                                      |
| West Flowing Rivers From Tadri to Kanyakumari              | 24.30                                      |
| East Flowing Rivers Between Mahanadi & Pennar              | 13.10                                      |
| East Flowing Rivers Between Pennar And Kanyakumari         | 16.50                                      |
| West Flowing Rivers Of Kutch and Saurashtra including Luni | 15                                         |
| Area of Inland drainage in Rajasthan                       | N.A                                        |
| Minor River Draining into Myanmar( Burma) &Bangladesh      | N.A                                        |
| TOTAL                                                      | 690.10                                     |

Source: National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIRD), 1999