Lok Sabha Question No. 1857 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-09
Subject: Revival of Ancient Sources of Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1857

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/12/2021

## REVIVAL OF ANCIENT SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER

## †1857. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  any  action  plan  to  revive  ancient  sources  of drinking water to address the acute shortage of drinking water;
- (b)   if so, the details of the ancient sources of drinking water likely to be included under the said scheme, State-wise;
- (c)   whether Ram Garh and Kalakh dam in Jaipur have been included under the said scheme; and
- (d)   if so, the time by which target to bring water to these dams has been proposed to be brought along with the name of the scheme under which it is to be carried out?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d)  Water  is  a  State  subject.  Power  to  plan,  design,  approve,  implement,  operate  and maintain  water  supply  as  well  as  water  resources  management  schemes  is  vested  with  States, including  Rajasthan.  As  such,  details  of  individual  projects, inter  alia which  includes  source identification, selection for water supply schemes and revival of individual ancient water sources are not maintained by this Department.

Government of India supplement the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. 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 Rajasthan, by 2024.

Under JJM, provisions have been made for drinking water source development/ strengthening/ augmentation; and infrastructure for bulk transfer of water, treatment and distribution systems in water  deficit  drought-prone  and  desert  areas  without  dependable  ground  water  sources,  apart from creation of in-village water supply infrastructure.

To achieve drinking water security, every village has to prepare a 5-year  Village Action Plan under Jal Jeevan Mission which inter alia includes augmentation and strengthening of drinking water sources to be taken up in convergence with other schemes at village level viz. MGNREGS, 15 th Finance Commission tied grants to Rural Local Bodies (RLBs)/ PRIs, Integrated Watershed Management  Programme  (IWMP),  State  schemes,  District  Mineral  Development  Fund,  CSR funds, community contribution, etc.

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

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

Moreover, Government of India has recently launched the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), Phase-II and III. Under this Scheme, Ramgarh and Kalakh Sagar Dam of State of Rajasthan have been identified for rehabilitation under DRIP Phase II &III.

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