Lok Sabha Question No. 2722 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Piped Water Supply
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Girish Chandra

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2722 ANSWERED ON 16/03/2023

## Piped Water Supply

## 2722.  SHRI GIRISH CHANDRA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   the number of households in the country that do not have access to piped water supply;
- (b)  whether the Government has taken cognizance of the climate change induced water scarcity that is predicted in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)   the details of the districts facing acute water shortage and depleting ground water levels?

## ANSWER

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

(a) &  (b)  Since  August  2019,  the  Government  of  India,  in  partnership  with  States,  is implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for making provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household, including those in arid and water-scarce districts.

At  the  time  of  announcement  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  in  August  2019,  3.23  Crore  (17%)  rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 09.03.2023,  additional 8.16  Crore  rural  households  have  been  provided  with  tap  water connections in last three and half years under JJM. Thus, as on 10.03.2023, out of 19.42 Crore rural households in the country, around 11.39 Crore (58%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

Under the mission, provisions have been made for source recharging, viz. dedicated bore well recharge structures, rainwater recharge, rejuvenation of existing water bodies, etc., in convergence  with  other  schemes  such  as  MGNREGS,  Integrated  Watershed  Management Programme (IWMP), 15th Finance Commission tied grants to RLBs/ PRIs, State schemes, CSR funds, etc.

In addition, to deal with the impact of climate change on the water sector, the National Water Mission  under  this  Ministry  has  launched  the  State  Specific  Action  Plan.  The  State  Specific Action Plans essentially consist of:

- a) Preparation of status report on the present situation of water resources development and management, water governance, Institutional arrangements, water-related policies, crossboundary issues and agreements etc. of the State/Union Territory. The document should also  define  problems/issues  related  to  all  the  aspects  of  water  resources  specific  to  the State.
- b) Identifying  a  set  of  probable  solutions  to  address  the  key  issues/  problem  areas  giving pros and cons of the solutions.
- c) Preparation of a detailed Action Plan for each of the strategies/activities identified in the NWM to be implemented by the State/Union territory.

(c) Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2020 assessment, out of the total 6965 assessment units (Blocks/ Taluks/ Mandals/ watersheds/ Firkas) in the country, 1114 units in 15 States/UTs have been categorized as 'Overexploited' where the Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource.

The complete groundwater resource information including details of Over-exploited assessment units for the entire country (including State/UT-wise) can be seen at:

http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/2021-08-02-GWRA\_India\_2020.pdf

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