Lok Sabha Question No. 2731 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Conservation of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2731

## ANSWERED ON 16.03.2023

## CONSERVATION OF WATER

## 2731. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps for the conservation of water in order to fight water crisis; (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  for  rejuvenation  of  the  water  bodies  in  the country;

(d) whether the Government has issued any guidelines/directions to the States/UTs regarding conservation of water; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) Water being State subject, initiatives on water management including conservation of water in the  country  is  primarily  States'  responsibility.  Central  Government  supports  the  State  Governments  by providing technical and financial support. The Government has taken various steps for the conservation of water in the country.

In  order  to  boost  efforts  for  water  conservation  and  to  fight  water  crisis,  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  has taken up a nationwide campaign 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan" since 2019.  however, the campaign could not be taken up in 2020 due to Covid restrictions.   Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) campaign has been taken up as an annual programme since 2021 with the theme ' Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls ' for creating appropriate rainwater harvesting structures  in urban and rural areas of all the districts in the country, with people's active participation, during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods.   JSA:CTR 2022 campaign has been taken up  during 29.03.2022 to 30.11.2022. 4th in the series, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2023 has now been launched on 04.03.2023 by the Hon'ble President of India.

Further, Government of India had also launched 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)' in Financial Year 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under  assured  irrigation,  improve  on  farm  water  use  efficiency,  introduce  sustainable  water conservation practices etc.

The other important steps taken by the Central Government for sustainable ground water management including water conservation in the country can be seen at http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_deplet ion\_july2022.pdf.

(c) Har  Khet  Ko  Pani  (HKKP)  is  one  of  the  component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana (PMKSY). The scheme of Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) and Repair, Renovation & Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies schemes have multiple objectives like expanding cultivable area under assured irrigation by improvement and restoration of water bodies thereby increasing the tank storage capacity and revival of lost  irrigation  potential, improving water use efficiency,  ground water recharge, increased availability of drinking water, improvement of catchment of tank commands etc.

Further,  Water  Conservation  and  Rainwater  Harvesting  is  one  of  the  focused  interventions  of  Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign which also includes rejuvenation of traditional water bodies in the country. Since the launch of JSA; CTR 2022 on 29 th March 2022 till 03.03.2023, both urban and rural areas put together, a total of 39,99,431  water related works  completed/on-going,  in  addition to 78,38,36,035 afforestation activities carried out under the campaign.

(d)  &  (e) National  Water  Policy  (2012)   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 inter-alia,  advocates  conservation  of  river,  river  bodies  and  infrastructure  should  be  undertaken  in  a scientifically planned manner through community participation. The Policy has been forwarded to all State Governments/  UTs  and  concerned  Ministries/Departments  of  Central  Government  for  adoption.  CGWA has advised States/UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water/ rain water harvesting.

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