Lok Sabha Question No. 1782 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-29
Subject: Declining Ground Water Level
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Arvind Kumar Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1782

ANSWERED ON 29 .07 .2021

## DECLINING GROUND WAT ER LEVEL

## 1782. DR. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to address the constantly falling ground wa most parts of Haryana, especially in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts of Haryana; and (b) if so, the details of efforts made and outcomes achieved so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a) & (b) Yes sir, Government has taken a number of steps to ensure sustainable managemen resources in the country including in Haryana. Further, w ater being a State subject, initiatives on management including conservation & water harvesting in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. However,  important  measures  taken  by  the  Cen tral  Government  for  conservation, management of ground water and effective implementation of rain water harvesting in the c available at the following URL:

http://jalshakti - dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_ Feb202 1.pdf .

In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field conservation/harvesting. Of these, mention can be made of 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra, 'Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan' in Gujarat, 'Mission Kakatiya' in Telangana, Neeru Chettu' in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana , Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu among others.

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Further some of the important initiatives for sustainable management of water resources in the country including in Haryana and their status (in Haryana) is given as under:

- i . Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water con the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India including 19 districts of Haryana. teams of o fficers from Central Government along - with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Sh were deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration wit officials  to  undertake  suitable  interventions. In  addition,  'Ja l  Shakti  Abhiyan - Catch  the  Rain' campaign has been launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on 22 March 2021.

- ii . Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti,  Department  of  Water  Resources,  RD  &  GR (DoWR,  RD  &  GR)  is implementing  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  (Atal  Jal ),  a  Rs.6,000.00  crore  Central  Sector  Scheme,  f sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation. Atal Jal implemented  in  81  water  stressed  districts  (including  14  districts  in  Haryana)  and Panchayats  of  se ven  States  viz.  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharas Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
- iii . Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact su water  legislation  for  regulation  of  its  development, which  also  includes  provision  of  rain  wate harvesting.  So  far,  19  States/UTs  including  Haryana  have  adopted  and  implemented  the water legislation.
- iv . Model  Building  Bye  Laws  (MBBL) - 2016  circulated  by  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affair include provi sions for Rainwater Harvesting and it has been shared with all the States / 32 States / UTs including Haryana have adopted the provisions of rainwater harvesting -2016.
- v. Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater - 2020 has been pr epared by Central Ground Water  Board  (CGWB)  in  consultation  with  States/UTs  which  is  a  macro  level  plan  ind various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estima In the state of Haryana, the Master Plan en visag s construction of about 7.4 lakhs Rain water harve and artificial recharge structures to harness 679 Million Cubic Metre (MCM) of Monsoon . The Master plan for Haryana includes recommendation for construction of 1258 Recharge 13650  Roof  Top  Rain  Water  Harvesting  (RTRWH)  Structures  and  8252  Farm  ponds  in  Jhaj District and 11745 RTRWH structures & 7213 Farm ponds in Rohtak District.
- vi . Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is implementing National Aquifer Mapping and Managemen program (NAQUIM),  which  envisages  mapping  of  aquifers  (water  bearing  formations), characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sus management of Ground Water Resources. The entire Haryana including Rohtak and Jhajjar dis trict has  been  covered  under  this  programme.  The  management  plans  are  shared  with  the government for taking appropriate measures / implementation.
- vii . Some  of  the  initiatives  by  Haryana  for  sustainable  management  of  water  resources  is Annexure .

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## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  &  (b)  of  Unstarred  Question  No.  1782  to answered in Lok Sabha on 29.07.2021 regarding 'Declining Ground Water level'.

## Some of the initiatives by Haryana for sustainable management of water resources

- a. The State Government has enacted 'The Haryana Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation  and  Management) Authority Act, 2020' vide notification dated 07.12.2020 for conservation, management and regulation of water resources.
- b. The Haryana Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation and Management) Authority ha been  established  under  Section  3  of  the  Haryana  Water  Resources  Act  to  take  acti misuse/ illegal extraction of groundwater.
- c. 'The  Haryana  State  Preservation  of  Sub  Soil  Water  Act,  2009'  has  been  enacted  which prohibits sowing of Paddy before 15th of May and transplanting of Paddy before 15 June.
- d. The  State  encourages  the  farmers  to  adopt  suitable  Drip  Irrigation  System  and  Sp Irrigation System by providing suitable subsidy .
- e. To reduce seepage and evaporation losses, suitable subsidy is being provided to the for laying Underground Pipe Line System.
6. f . Crop Diversification programmes have been launched in the State for conservation of groundwater resource, alter na crops  e.g.  maize,  sunflower,  cotton,  vegetables,  bajra summer moong etc. are being promoted in place of water guzzling paddy. A program nam 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' has been launched in the State during 2020 - 21.
- g. Roof- top Rain Water Harvesting S tructures are constructed in the Govt. buildings such Schools/  Colleges/  Govt.  offices  for  artificially  recharging  the  groundwater  aqui numbers of Roof - top Rain Water Harvesting Structures constructed till 2020 - 21.

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