Lok Sabha Question No. 2637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-17
Subject: Drinking Water Scarcity in Himalayan Region
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2637

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17/03/2022

## DRINKING WATER SCARCITY IN HIMALAYAN REGION

## 2637.  SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   the details of the steps being taken by the Government to deal with drinking water scarcity in the Himalayan regions during the last three years;
- (b)  the details of programmes and projects undertaken by the Government for conservation and recharging  of  natural  sources  of  water  in  Darjeeling  and  Kalimpong  districts  of  West Bengal;
- (c)   whether any monitoring system has been put in place to track the status of water sources and natural springs and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details  of  new  technologies  being  adopted  for  conservation  and  upgradation  of conventional water sources?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  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, including those in Himalayan States, by 2024.

(b)  to  (d)  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  are  not  maintained  at  the  Government  of  India  level. However,under JJM, provisions have been made for taking up augmentation and strengthening of local & ancient drinking water sources, including those in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of  West  Bengal,  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.

Further, National Water Mission under this Ministry has taken 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 pre-monsoon and monsoon period which inter alia had five focused  interventions-  rainwater  harvesting  &  water  conservation  (including  renovation  of traditional and other water bodies/ tanks; recharge using old bore wells; watershed development etc.), enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation, setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts, intensive afforestation and  awareness  generation.Intervention-wise  progress  reported  under  JSA:  CTR  (completed  as well as ongoing works) as on 08.03.2022 is as under:

- i.) Water Conservation & Rainwater Harvesting Structures: 16.22 lakh;
- ii.) Renovation of traditional water bodies: 2.97 lakh;
- iii.) Reuse and recharge structures: 8.31 lakh;
- iv.) Watershed development: 1.19 Crore;
- v.) Intensive afforestation:  36.75 Crore;
- vi.) Training programmes/ Kisan Melas: 0.44 lakh;
- vii.) Jal Shakti Kendras: 340

In addition, important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of  ground  water  and  effective  implementation  of  rain  water  harvesting  in  the  countryare available in public domain at:

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

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