Lok Sabha Question No. 105 (STARRED), answered on 2023-02-09
Subject: Reduction in Water Consumption
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sajda Ahmed

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *105

ANSWERED ON 09.02.2023

## REDUCTION IN WATER CONSUMPTION

- *105 SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to reduce the water footprint of consumption in the country;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  that  the  huge  virtual  water  trade  of  India  is  a  great
- concern for water security and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government has taken any steps to reduce the export of goods with high virtual water and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has assessed the water consumption in the farming of Makhana and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has formulated any policy on virtual water trade and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (e) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED QUESTION No. *105 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 09.02.2023 REGARDING 'REDUCTION IN WATER CONSUMPTION'

a. The  various  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce  water  footprint,  inter  alia  include  the following-

- i. Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojna  (PMKSY)  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  which addresses  convergence  of  investments  in  irrigation  at  the  field  level  and  targets   to  expand  the cultivable area under assured irrigation through 'Har Khet Ko Pani' (HKKP), and to improve onfarm water use efficiency (WUE) to reduce wastage of water.
- ii. Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  (DoWR, RD&GR) is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana in identified water stressed areas of 7 states . The scheme focuses on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable ground water management .
- iii. National Water Mission (NWM) has undertaken baseline studies for irrigation projects and benchmarking studies for industries on water use efficiency through reputed institutes.
- iv. 'Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  -  Catch  the  Rain  (CTR)'  campaign  and  'Sahi  Fasal'  campaign have created mass awareness about efficient use of water.  Sahi Fasal promotes crops,  which are suited to the agro-climatic zone keeping in view water availability.
- v. The  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  (MoJS)  under  NWM  has  set  up  the  Bureau  of  Water  Use Efficiency (BWUE) to facilitate promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries etc and inter alia also assess water footprint.
- vi. Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  (DoWR, RD&GR) with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has taken up a new initiative  called  'Support  for  Irrigation  Modernization  Programme'  (SIMP)  for  application  of national  and  international  best  practices  for  modernizing  Major  &  Medium  Irrigation  (MMI) projects in India to improve water use efficiency and crop water productivity.
- vii. Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs  (MoHUA)  has  taken  several  steps  towards sustainable  management  of  water  in  urban  areas  through  the  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT).  AMRUT  was  launched  on  June  25,  2015  in  500  select  cities across the country covering around 60% of the urban population. AMRUT focuses on development of  basic  urban  infrastructure  of  water  supply  and  sewerage  &  septage  management,  storm  water drainage,  non-motorised  public  transport  and  green  spaces  &  parks  are  other  minor  components covered under the mission.
- viii. Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  implementing  Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'Per Drop More Crop' (PDMC) in the country from 2015-16. The PDMC focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through micro irrigation.
- ix. Recognizing the enormous potential of millet both as a nutrient and a low water consuming crop, the Government had proposed to the United Nations to declare the year 2023 as International Year of Millet. The UN has declared the same and various initiatives are being taken to encourage

the production and consumption of millets, as a replacement to the water intensive crops like rice and wheat.

- x. Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR)  promotes use of efficient irrigation methods including  micro-irrigation,  precision  technologies  for  irrigation  and  farming  practices,  optimum irrigation scheduling, resource conservation technologies, adoption of modern agronomic practices like raised bed sowing, alternate furrow irrigation,  mulching, Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), laser land leveling, conservation agricultural practices, crop diversification  adopting  crops/varieties  which  require  less  water  etc  to   reduce  water  footprint  in agriculture and improve water use efficiency.

b & c. The Government has set up the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) under the National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, to facilitate promotion of water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries etc and inter alia also assess water footprint.

d. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has assessed the water requirement of Makhana crop.  Makhana is an aquatic crop and is normally grown in stagnant water bodies like ponds, low depressions, lakes, etc. It requires a standing water level of 1.2-1.8 m height (12,000-18,000 cubic meter  per  ha)  when  grown  in  pond  ecosystems.  However,  an  improved  method  of  cultivation  of Makhana in agricultural field requires standing water of about 30 cm (3,000 cubic meter per ha).

- e. No, Sir.

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