Lok Sabha Question No. 3756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Agricultural Practices
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: D.K. Suresh, Nalin Kumar Kateel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3756

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2023

## AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

## 3756. SHRI D.K. SURESH  SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  are  a  number  of  agricultural  practices  which  are adversely affecting the ground water system;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is taking any measures to change the crop patterns, which help in producing maximum yield with minimum water; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the latest assessment (2022), the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 398 BCM. The Annual Ground Water Extraction for all  uses  is  239.16  BCM,  out  which  208.49  BCM  (87%)  has  been  utilised  for  agriculture  activities. Availability of groundwater resource and its extraction depends upon a number of factors like intensity & period of rainfall, geological strata of the area, number of existing recharge structures, extraction by consumers  for  various  purposes  like  industrial  applications,  drinking/domestic  purposes,  irrigation practices including cropping pattern and crop intensity etc.

(c) & (d) The Central Government has taken the following steps to change the crop pattern which help to produce maximum yield with minimum water :-

- i. The  National  Water  Policy  (NWP)  -  2012  states  that  water  saving  in  irrigation  use  is  of paramount  importance.  It  further  states  methods  like  aligning  cropping  pattern  with  natural resource  endowments,  micro  irrigation  (drip,  sprinkler,  etc.),  automated  irrigation  operation, evaporation-transpiration reduction etc., should be encouraged and incentivized. The NWP-2012 has been shared with States/UTs.
- ii. Central Government is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana with an outlay of Rs. 6,000 crore, in collaboration  with  States,  in  certain  water  stressed  areas  of  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The primary aim of the scheme is demand  side  management  including  implementation  of  crop  rotation/diversification,  changing crop pattern, use of sprinklers/drip irrigation system etc by involving the local communities at village levels leading to sustainable groundwater management in the targeted areas.
- iii. CGWB is implementing National Aquifer Mapping Programme to delineate  aquifer disposition and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/  area  specific  ground  water  management plans  with  community participation. The  entire  mappable area of  about  25 lakh Sq. km. have been completed. The management plans are shared with the respective State Governments for taking appropriate measures for implementation. The Management plans includes the recommendations for change in cropping pattern, adoption of water use efficiency methods like sprinkler irrigation methods and use of underground pipe system for transportation of irrigation water to crops instead of using open surface distribution.
- iv. ' Sahi Fasal' campaign was launched by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation on 14.11.2019 to nudge farmers in the water stressed areas to  grow  crops  which  are  economically  remunerative,  healthy  &  nutritious,  suited  to  the  agroclimatic-hydro characteristics of the area, environmentally friendly and are not water intensive. Creating awareness  among  farmers  on  appropriate crops, micro-irrigation, soil moisture conservation,  weaning  them  away  from  water  intensive  crops  to  crops  requiring  less  water, assisting policy makers to frame policies etc are some of the key elements of the campaign.
- v. For sustainable management of groundwater resources for agricultural purposes, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) promotes rainwater harvesting measures, groundwater recharge and conjunctive use of surface  and  groundwater  resources besides use of micro-irrigation and resource  conservation  technologies.  The  Council  also  promotes  diversification  of  cropping systems for sustainable agricultural development and improving water use efficiency. Accordingly,  ICAR  has  identified  and  documented  efficient  alternative  cropping  systems considering  agro-ecological,  bio-physical  and  socio-economic  factors  with  higher  productivity potential and income security for different agro-climatic zones.

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