Lok Sabha Question No. 3212 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Local Plan for Water Resources
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Amar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3212

## ANSWERED ON 04.08.2022

## LOCAL PLAN FOR WATER RESOURCES

## 3212 DR. AMAR SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  is  a  need  to  work  out  local  level  plans  covering  water resources  in  all  its  forms-rainwater,  surface  water,  soil  water  and  ground  water  and  the  resource  use sectors;

(b) if so, the details of the initiatives taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard; and (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Yes Sir.

(b) & (c) Water resources projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves  as  per  their  own  resources  and  priorities.  Role  of  Government  of  India  is  limited  to  being catalytic,  providing  technical  support  and,  in  some  cases  partial  financial  assistance  in  terms  with  the existing schemes being implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. All projects supported by Government of  India  in  the  water  resources  sector  aims  to  improve  water  security  in  the  Country,  and  local  level planning is key for project implementation. The details of initiatives taken by Government of India are as follows ;

National  Water  Policy  (2012)  has  been  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 interalia, advocates conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner through community participation in local level.

Government of India has launched  'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)' with  the motto  of  Har  Khet  Ko  Paani  (HKKP).   Objectives  of   PMKSY  includes  convergence  of  investments  in irrigation at the field level (preparation of district level and, if required, sub district level water use plans); Integration of water source, distribution and its efficient use, to make best use of water through appropriate technologies  and  practices  besides  several  other  objectives  aiming  to  ensure  access  to  some  means  of protective  irrigation  to  all  agricultural  farms  in  the  country.  District  Irrigation  Plans  (DIPs)  are  the cornerstone for planning and implementation of PMKSY. Preparation of DIP is taken up as joint exercise of all participating departments. These plans are developed following intensive participatory consultation process including Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) programme under PMKSY also mandates formation of Water User Associations (WUAs) for Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) at a  local  level.  Under  WUAs  farmers  are  progressively  in  various  aspects  of  management  of  irrigation systems, particularly in water distribution and collection of water rates. Under this programme, Water User Associations are supported with one-time infrastructure grant of Rs. 3 lakh per WUA and functional grant of  Rs.  1200  per  hectare  as  part  of  non-structural  interventions.  The  CADWM  projects  are  essentially executed by the State Government Departments.

The  National  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  programme  is  aimed  to  delineate  aquifer disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/ area specific ground water management plans  with  community  participation.  The  management  plans  are  shared  with  the  respective  State Governments for taking appropriate measures / implementation.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain - 2022 has been launched by Hon'ble President on 29.03.2022 in all districts (rural as well as urban areas) of the country with the main theme 'Catch the Rain, where it falls, when it falls'. The campaign being implemented from 29 th March, 2022 to 30 th November, 2022 the pre-monsoon and monsoon period in the country. The focused interventions of the campaign include: water conservation and rainwater harvesting; enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans at the district level for water conservation, setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts, intensive afforestation and awareness generation.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL) with an outlay of Rs. 6000 crore is implemented for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation. The scheme is being taken up in 80 districts, 224 administrative blocks and 8562 water stressed Gram Panchayats of seven states, viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.  The scheme envisages active participation of the communities,  in various activities such as formation/strengthening of Water User Associations, monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation of Gram-Panchayat  wise water security  plans  &  their  implementation  through  convergence  of  ongoing schemes and IEC activities related to sustainable ground water management.

Government of India in partnership with State Government implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024. The responsibility  to  plan,  design,  approve  and  implement  drinking  water  supply  schemes  lies  with  States. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. State Water and Sanitation Missions (SWSMs) and District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSMs) are responsible for preparation and finalization of State Action Plans & District Action Plans respectively. The water  budget  is  prepared  as  part  of  the  Village  Action  Plan  for  its  dissemination  among  the  local community  to  improve  the  agriculture  water-use  efficiency  by  adopting  micro-irrigation  and/  or  adopt cropping pattern suiting the agro-climatic zone.