Lok Sabha Question No. 3606 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Restoration of Ground Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Gyaneshwar Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3606

ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## RESTORATION OF GROUND WATER

## †3606.  SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to restore ground water in water scarce cities of Madhya Pradesh;

(b)  whether there is any policy of the Government for ground water recharge in the State of Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the policy of the Government for monitoring the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of ground water in Madhya Pradesh, district/city-wise?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  Though  water  is  a  State  subject,  Central  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  important  measures  for conservation,  management  of  ground  water  including  effective  implementation  of  rain  water  harvesting  in  the country including cities of Madhya Pradesh, which can be seen at URL:http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Feb2021. pdf. Some of the important initiatives in this regard are also given at Annexure.

(b)  The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  formulated  by  Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  & Ganga Rejuvenation, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. It also advocates that conservation of river, river  bodies  and  infrastructure  should  be  undertaken  in  a  scientifically  planned  manner  through  community participation.

Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL) 2016 circulated by Ministry of Housing &Urban Affairs include provisions for rainwater harvesting and it has been shared with all the States / UTs. So far 33 States / UTs have adopted the provisions of rainwater harvesting of MBBL-2016, including Madhya Pradesh.

Further, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the country. CGWA has advised States/UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water /  rain  water  harvesting.  CGWA  grants  No  Objection  Certificates  (NOCs)  for  ground  water  abstraction  to industries,  infrastructure  units  and  mining  projects  in  feasible  areas  in  certain  States/UTs,  including  Madhya Pradesh. The latest guidelines for control and regulation of groundwater extraction with pan-India applicability were notified on 24 September 2020.

(c) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data including Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of the entire  country  including  Madhya  Pradesh  on a  regional  scale  as  part  of  its  ground  water  quality monitoring program and various scientific studies. Further, as per the information received from the Government of Madhya Pradesh, they are also monitoring the Total Dissolved Solids of ground water village-wise twice a year i.e.  pre-monsoon  and  post-monsoon.  Further,  Public  Health  Engineering  Department,  Madhya  Pradesh  is conducting chemical testing of water samples of tube-wells once in a year.

Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation implements Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in partnership with States/UTs to provide potable tap water supply to every rural household of the country. The drinking water supply schemes under  the  mission  are  planned,  approved,  and  implemented  by  the  State/UTs.  Water  quality  monitoring  & surveillance is one of the components of the mission. Under this, the water samples from the villages are regularly tested inter alia for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), as per the roster plan of the laboratory.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3606 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.03.2022 REGARDING 'RESTORATION OF GROUND WATER'.

## Important initiatives on water conservation/water harvesting by the Central Government.

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in  India  including  water  stressed  cities  of  Madhya  Pradesh.  In  2021, Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  took  up  the  'Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  the  Rain'  (JSA:CTR)  with  the  theme 'Catch the Rain - Where it Falls When it Falls' to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country during 22nd March 2021 to 30th November 2021. The campaign was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021.

Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 has been prepared by CGWB in consultation with  States/UTs  which  is  a  macro  level  plan  indicating  various  structures  for  the  different  terrain conditions of the country. The Master Plan - 2020 envisages construction of about 1.42 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country to harness 185 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM). The  'Master  Plan  for Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in India -2020'  is available at http://cgwb.gov.in/Master%20Plan%20to%20GW%20Recharge%202020.pdf.   In  Madhya  Pradesh,  the Master  Plan  envisages  construction  of  about  7.2  lakh  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge structures to harness 9,188 Million Cubic Metre (MCM) of monsoon surplus rainfall.

National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM) is being implemented by CGWB as part  of  Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation  (GWM  &  R)  scheme,  a  Central  Sector  scheme. NAQUIM  envisages  mapping  of  aquifers  (water  bearing  formations),  their  characterization  and development  of  Aquifer  Management  Plans  to  facilitate  sustainable  management  of  groundwater resources in the country. NAQUIM outputs are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions. So far, in Madhya Pradesh, 1,62,147 sq.km. have been covered against the target of 2,65,234 sq km.

Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  (MoHUA)  has  formulated  guidelines  for  the  States  to  adopt measures  suitable  to  local  conditions,  such  as  Unified  Building  Bye  Laws  (UBBL)  of  Delhi,  2016, Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL), 2016 and Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014, 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 have adopted the features of these Bye Laws.

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