Lok Sabha Question No. 1208 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-09
Subject: Ground Water Management Scheme
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1208

ANSWERED ON 09.02.2023

## GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT SCHEME

## 1208. SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has introduced the Ground Water Management and Regulation scheme in semi-arid regions of Gujarat and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the progress made under the said scheme till date;

(c) the total funds allocated and utilized under the scheme during the last three years and the current year;

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  geological  survey  for  mapping  the  springs  in  the country;

(e) if so, the details of alive and dried up springs; and

(f) whether the Government has taken any steps to rejuvenate springs for water availability and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWMR) Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme, which is being  implemented  since  2007-08  by  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  in  the  country including Gujarat. Major activities being taken up under the scheme include aquifer mapping for the entire country and other routine activities of CGWB such as ground water level and quality monitoring on  regular  basis,  assessment  of  dynamic  ground  water  resources  as  per  laid  down  periodicity  in collaboration with States/UTs, regulation and control of ground water withdrawal in certain States/UTs, taking  up  few  demonstrative  recharge  projects  in  selected  water  stressed  areas,  strengthening  of scientific infrastructure for technological upgradation etc.

(b) One  of  the  main  activity  under  the  scheme  is  National  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management Programme (NAQUIM) which is being implemented with the objectives to delineate and characterize the aquifers and develop plans for ground water management. In Gujarat, out of mappable area of 1.60 Lakh Sq Km, 1.55 Lakh  Sq Km has been covered. Further, aquifer maps and management plans are shared with the State for suitable demand side and supply side interventions.

Further, under the Scheme, CGWB has also carried out high resolution aquifer mapping using heliborne  geophysical  survey  in  around  1.00  lakh  Sq  Km  of  arid/semi-arid  areas  in  parts  of  Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana. In Gujarat, heli-borne survey have been completed in 31,436 Sq Km of semi-arid area of Rajkot, Surendranagar, Morbi, Devbhumi, Dwarka and Jamnagar Districts.

(c) Total funds allocated and utilized under the scheme during the last three years and the current year in Gujarat is given as under:

| Financial Year   |   Allocated Fund (in Cr Rs) |   Utilized Fund (in Cr Rs) |
|------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
| 2019-2020        |                        1.5  |                       1.48 |
| 2020-2021        |                        1.52 |                       1.5  |
| 2021-2022        |                        1.95 |                       1.83 |
| 2022-2023        |                        2.32 |                       1.62 |

(d) & (e) National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee has mapped about 1,750 springs in Ravi river catchment  of  Himachal  Pradesh,  Western  Ghat  of  Maharashtra  and  North  Karnataka.  Further,  459 Springs have been mapped in Tawi River catchment of Jammu & Kashmir. Details of such springs can be accessed in the web-links -http://117.252.14.230:8080/TestSpring@Feb2020/ and http://117.252.14.230:8080/TestSpring\_TawiRiver/.

Further, under NAQUIM studies, 409 springs were inventoried by CGWB in Arunachal Pradesh (28), Nagaland (32), Meghalaya (153), Mizoram (16), Tripura (35), Odisha (3), West Bengal (64) and Jammu & Kashmir (78). Details of such springs can be accessed in the web-linkhttps://cgwb.gov.in/Ground-Water/State%20wise%20Spring%20details.pdf

(f) Water being a State Subject, water management including mapping and rejuvenation of springs for water availability is the responsibility of respective State Governments. Further, Central Government facilitates the efforts being taken by the State Governments through technical and financial assistance.

In  addition,  Department  of  Land  Resources  is  implementing  PMKSY-Watershed  development scheme,  part  of  umbrella  PMKSY  scheme  in  rainfed/degraded  land  areas  of  the  country.  Under  the scheme, activity on Spring-shed management (in Hilly/NE areas) has been introduced.

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