Lok Sabha Question No. 3587 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Decline in Water Table
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Hemant Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3587

ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## DECLINE IN WATER TABLE

## †3587.  SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is aware of the fact that water table is likely to decline by fifty per cent till 2030;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any study for formulating Urban Drought Policy;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  measure  to  ensure  less  dependency  on  ground  water  for agriculture and domestic use and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) No such information on groundwater level is available.  However, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells.   The  water  level  data  collected  by  CGWB  during  November  2021  when  compared  with  the  decadal  mean  of November (2011-2020) indicates that about 30% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water level and about 70 % wells have registered rise in water level. Detail are given at Annexure-I.

Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including preventing the depletion of groundwater reserves is primarily  States'  responsibility.   However,  important  measures  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  conservation, management  of  ground  water  and  effective  implementation  of  rain  water  harvesting  in  the  country  are  available  at  the following URL:http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_ Feb2021.pdf. Some of the important initiatives in this regard are also given at Annexure-II.

Government  of  India  launched  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  2019  in  256  water  stressed  districts  in  the  country  which continued during 2021 also to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the country. Further, the campaign 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021.

In  addition,  a  number  of  States  have  done  notable  work  in  the  field  of  water  conservation/harvesting  such  as '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, and Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu.

(c)  &  (d)  No  studies  have  been  undertaken  for  formulating  Urban Drought Policy. However, the National Water Policy incorporates provisions/guidelines on drought management.

(e) Guidelines have been issued on 24.09.2020 for regulation and control of ground water extraction in the country. Water being  a  State  subject,  the  guidelines  advocate  for  a  participatory  approach  for  sustainable  ground  water  management  in agriculture sector including working towards crop rotation, diversification & other initiatives to reduce over-dependence on groundwater.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) is being implemented in certain water stressed areas of the country, which includes activities like  preparation  of  water  security  plan  at  Gram  Panchayat  level  in  participatory  mode  by  involving  communities  to  use available groundwater and surface water in an efficient manner.

Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Per Drop More Crop component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) which is operational from 2015-16. The PMKSY-Per Drop More Crop mainly focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler irrigation system) to reduce the extraction of groundwater.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) AND (B) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3587 ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.03.2022 REGARDING 'DECLINE IN WATER TABLE'.

## State-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean [November (2011 to 2020] and November 2021

| S. No.   | Name of State         | No. of wells Analysed   | Rise    | Rise      | Rise   | Rise     | Rise   | Fall    | Fall   | Fall      | Fall   | Fall      | Fall            | Fall   |           |         |       |      | Wells showing   |
|----------|-----------------------|-------------------------|---------|-----------|--------|----------|--------|---------|--------|-----------|--------|-----------|-----------------|--------|-----------|---------|-------|------|-----------------|
| S. No.   | Name of State         | No. of wells Analysed   | 0-2m    | 0-2m      | 2-4m   | 2-4m     | >4m    | >4m     | 0-2m   | 0-2m      | 2-4m   | 2-4m      | >4m             | >4m    | Rise      | Rise    | Fall  | Fall | no change       |
| S. No.   | Name of State         | No. of wells Analysed   | No      | %         | No     | %        | No     | %       | No     | %         | No     | %         | No              |        | No        | No      | %     | No   | %               |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh        | 706                     | 419     | 59.3      | 87     | 12.3     | 50     | 7.1     | 124    | 17.6      | 14     | 2.0       | 11              | % 1.6  | % 556 79  | 149     | 21    | 1    | 0               |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh     | 10                      | 2       | 20.0      | 0      | 0.0      | 0      | 0.0     | 8      | 80.0      | 0      | 0.0       | 0 0.0           | 2      | 20        | 8       | 80    | 0    | 0               |
| 3        | Assam                 | 167                     | 71      | 42.5      | 3      | 1.8      | 1      | 0.6     | 83     | 49.7      | 6      | 3.6       | 3 1.8           | 75     | 45        | 92      | 55    | 0    | 0               |
| 4        | Bihar                 | 593                     | 395     | 66.6      | 78     | 13.2     | 11     | 1.9     | 102    | 17.2      | 7      | 1.2       | 0 0.0           | 484    | 82        | 109     | 18    | 0    | 0               |
| 5        | Chandigarh            | 12                      | 4       | 33.3      | 2      | 16.7     | 1      | 8.3     | 3      | 25.0      | 1      | 8.3       | 1 8.3           | 7      | 58        | 5       | 42    | 0    | 0               |
| 6        | Chhattisgarh          | 687                     | 290     | 42.2      | 66     | 9.6      | 30     | 4.4     | 230    | 33.5      | 45     | 6.6       | 26 3.8          |        | 386 56    | 301     | 44    | 0    | 0               |
| 7        | Dadra &Nagar Haveli   | 17                      | 15      | 88.2      | 0      | 0.0      | 0      | 0.0     | 2      | 11.8      | 0      | 0.0 0     | 0.0             | 15     | 88        | 2       | 12    | 0    | 0               |
| 8        | Daman &Diu            | 5                       | 2       | 40.0      | 1      | 20.0     | 1      | 20.0    | 1      | 20.0      | 0      | 0.0 0     | 0.0             | 4      | 80        | 1       | 20    | 0    | 0               |
| 9        | Delhi                 | 86                      | 29 33.7 |           | 21     | 24.4     | 15     | 17.4    | 12     | 14.0      | 3      | 3.5       | 6 7.0           | 65     | 76        | 21      | 24    | 0    | 0               |
| 10       | Goa                   | 68                      | 9       | 13.2      | 0      | 0.0      | 1      | 1.5     | 52     | 76.5      | 5      | 7.4       | 1 1.5           | 10     | 15        | 58      | 85    | 0    | 0               |
| 11       | Gujarat               | 746                     | 278     | 37.3      | 122    | 16.4     | 112    | 15.0    | 140    | 18.8      | 50     | 6.7 44    | 5.9             | 512    | 69        | 234     | 31    | 0    | 0               |
| 12       | Haryana               | 183                     | 66      | 36.1      | 6      | 3.3      | 8      | 4.4     | 65     | 35.5      | 19     | 10.4      | 19 10.4         | 80     | 44        | 103     | 56    | 0    | 0               |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh      | 86                      | 40      | 46.5      | 5      | 5.8      | 2      | 2.3     | 36     | 41.9      | 1      | 1.2       | 1 1.2           | 47     | 55        | 38      | 44    | 1    | 1               |
| 14       | Jammu &Kashmir        | 213                     | 100     | 46.9      | 4      | 1.9      | 3      | 1.4     | 99     | 46.5      | 4      | 1.9       | 3 1.4           | 107    | 50        | 106     | 50    | 0    | 0               |
| 15       | Jharkhand             | 198                     | 132     | 66.7      | 17     | 8.6      | 1      | 0.5     | 45     | 22.7      | 3      | 1.5       | 0 0.0           | 150    | 76        | 48      | 24    | 0    | 0               |
| 16       | Karnataka             | 1290                    | 709     | 55.0      | 265    | 20.5     | 123    | 9.5     | 159    | 12.3      | 20     | 1.6       | 14 1.1          | 1097   | 85        | 193     | 15    | 0    | 0               |
| 17       | Kerala                | 1304                    | 868     | 66.6      | 145    | 11.1     | 39     | 3.0     | 227    | 17.4      | 17     | 1.3       | 8               | 0.6    | 1052 81   | 252     | 19    | 0    | 0               |
| 18       | Madhya Pradesh        | 1297                    | 590 856 | 45.5      | 164    | 12.6     | 97     | 7.5     | 345    | 26.6      | 70     | 5.4       | 31 2.4          | 851    | 66        | 446     | 34    | 0    | 0               |
| 19       | Maharashtra           | 1727                    |         | 49.6      | 321    | 18.6     | 161    | 9.3     | 317    | 18.4      | 47     | 2.7       | 24 1.4          | 1338   | 77        | 388     | 22    | 1    | 0               |
| 20       | Meghalaya             | 24                      | 10      | 41.7      |        |          | 0      | 0.0     | 13     | 54.2      | 0      | 0.0       | 0 0.0           | 11     | 46        | 13      | 54    | 0    |                 |
| 21       |                       | 2                       |         |           | 1      | 4.2      | 0      | 0.0     | 0      |           | 1      |           |                 |        | 50        |         |       |      | 0               |
|          | Nagaland              |                         | 1       | 50.0      | 0      | 0.0      |        |         |        | 0.0       |        | 50.0      | 0 0.0           | 1      |           | 1       | 50    | 0    | 0               |
| 22       | Odhisha               | 1245                    | 650     | 52.2      | 32     | 2.6      | 2      | 0.2     | 517    | 41.5      | 35     | 2.8       | 8 0.6           | 684    | 55        | 560     | 45    | 1    | 0               |
| 23       | Pondicherry           | 6                       | 3       | 50.0      | 1      | 16.7     | 0      | 0.0     | 2      | 33.3      | 0      | 0.0       | 0 0.0           | 4      | 67        | 2       | 33    | 0    | 0               |
| 24 25    | Punjab Rajasthan      | 176 918                 | 46 248  | 26.1 27.0 | 7 80   | 4.0      | 1 44   | 0.6 4.8 | 74 290 | 42.0 31.6 | 38 114 | 21.6 12.4 | 10 5.7 141 15.4 | 54     | 31 372 41 | 122 545 | 69 59 | 0 1  | 0 0 0           |
| 27       |                       |                         | 203     |           | 146    | 8.7 27.1 | 113    | 21.0    | 54     | 10.0      |        |           | 11              |        |           |         | 14    | 0 0  | 0               |
| 26       | Tamil Nadu            | 538                     | 201     | 37.4      |        |          |        |         |        |           | 13     | 2.4       | 2.0             | 460    | 86        | 78      | 16    |      |                 |
|          |                       |                         |         | 37.8      |        |          |        | 24.8    |        |           |        | 0.9       | 9               |        | 84        | 87      |       |      |                 |
|          | Telangana             | 537                     |         | 36.4      | 114    | 21.2     | 133    | 0.0     | 73     | 13.6      | 5 3    | 13.6      | 1.7 0 0.0       | 450    | 36        | 14      | 64    | 0    | 0               |
| 28 29    | Tripura Uttar Pradesh | 22 646                  | 8       |           | 0      | 0.0      | 0      | 3.3     | 11 118 | 50.0 18.3 | 32     | 5.0       | 15 2.3          | 8 481  | 74        | 165     | 26    | 0    | 0               |
| 30       |                       | 45                      | 358 23  | 55.4      | 102 3  | 15.8 6.7 | 21 2   | 4.4 4.7 | 9      | 20.0      | 4      | 8.9       | 4 8.9           |        | 28 62     | 17      | 38    | 0 1  | 0               |
|          | West Bengal           | 721                     | 417     | 51.1      | 87     | 12.1     | 34     |         | 117    | 16.2      | 34     | 31        | 4.3             | 538    | 75        | 182     | 25    |      | 0               |
|          | Uttarakhand           | 14275                   | 7043    | 57.8      | 1880   |          |        |         | 3328   | 23.3      | 591    | 4.1       | 2.9             | 9929   | 70        | 4340    | 30    | 6    | 0               |
| 31       | Total                 |                         |         | 49.3      |        | 13.2     | 1006   | 7.0     |        |           |        | 4.7       | 421             |        |           |         |       |      |                 |

3

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3587 ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.03.2022 REGARDING 'DECLINE IN WATER TABLE'.

## Important initiatives on management of groundwater resources

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 conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India.

In 2021, Ministry of Jal Shakti took up the 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) with the theme 'Catch the Rain - Where it Falls When it Falls' to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country during 22nd March 2021 to 30th November 2021. The campaign was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021.

Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR (DoWR, RD & GR) is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a Rs.6,000 crore Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation. Atal Jal is being implemented in 80 water stressed districts and 8,565 Gram Panchayats of seven States viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), in consultation with States/UTs, has prepared 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater - 2020'. The Master Plan - 2020 is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country.  The Master Plan - 2020 envisages construction of about 1.42 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country to harness 185 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM).

National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM) is being implemented by CGWB as part  of  Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation  (GWM  &  R)  Scheme,  a  Central  Sector  scheme. NAQUIM  envisages  mapping  of  aquifers  (water  bearing  formations),  their  characterization  and development  of  Aquifer  Management  Plans  to  facilitate  sustainable  management  of  groundwater resources in the country. NAQUIM outputs are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.

Government of India generally supports artificial groundwater recharge/water harvesting works in the country  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  and Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -Watershed Development component (PMKSYWDC), 'Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) and Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies schemes', a component of PMKSY.

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