Lok Sabha Question No. 688 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-22
Subject: Restoration of Water Bodies
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 688

ANSWERED ON 22.07

## .2021

## RESTORATION OF WATER BODIES

## 688. SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE DR. HEENA GAVIT DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the number of lakes, ponds, pools, wells and step wells existing in the country at present present condition/status thereof;

(b) the details of the efforts made for the restoration of the said water bodies for ground duringthe last five years, State/UT - wise;

(c) the ground water recharge modalities being adopted in this regard;

(d) whether these water bodies in various parts of the country have been encroached upon - social elements; and

(e) if so, the State/UT - wise details of the action taken against them along with the initiatives Government to remove the encroachments on the said water bodies and their restoration for t of ground water for future?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) It is for the State Governments concerned to undertake enumeration, protection and man water  bodies  in  their  respective  States.  However,  this  Ministry  undertakes  census  of  m schemes from time t o time, which also captures information pertaining to certain specific wat the country. As per the latest census, being 5 th census of minor irrigation schemes with reference year -14,  there  are  5,16,303  water  bodies  in  the  rural  areas  of  th e  country, w ich  are  being  used  for  min irrigation. Out of these, 53,396 water bodies are not in use for various reasons such as n - availability of water, siltation, salinity, etc.

(b) Works  related  to  water  resources  development  &  management  are  pla nned,  funded,  executed  and maintained  by  the  State  Governments  themselves  as  per  their  own  resources  and  prioriti Government of India is limited to providing technical support, and partial financial support per the norms of the existing schemes being implemented by Government of India.

Central assistance for restoration of water bodies is provided by this Ministry un 'Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies', which is a component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -Har Khet Ko Pani (PMKSY - HKKP). Th e scheme aims at restoring the lo irrigation potential by improvement and restoration of existing water bodies.

Under the RRR of Water Bodies scheme, XII Plan onwards a total of 2,228 water bodie estimated cost of Rs.1,914.86 crore, have been taken up for restoration in various States. Upto March central assistance of Rs.469.69 crore has been released to the States under the scheme, an RRR of 1,549 water bodies has been completed.

State - wise details of central assistance released, and water bodies restored under the scheme XII Plan onward, are tabulated below:

| S. No.   | State          |   Central assistance released March, 2021 (Rs. In crore) |   till Water Bodies completed till March, 2021 |
|----------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh |                                                     2.7  |                                              0 |
| 2        | Bihar          |                                                    18.08 |                                              6 |
| 3        | Gujarat        |                                                     8.81 |                                              3 |
| 4        | Madhya Pradesh |                                                    37.7  |                                            124 |
| 5        | Manipur        |                                                    34.63 |                                              0 |
| 6        | Meghalaya      |                                                     5.18 |                                              8 |
| 7        | Odisha         |                                                   145.18 |                                            810 |
| 8        | Rajasthan      |                                                    62.18 |                                             66 |
| 9        | Tamil Nadu     |                                                    34.25 |                                            153 |
| 10       | Telangana      |                                                   104.56 |                                            371 |
| 11       | Uttar Pradesh  |                                                    16.41 |                                              8 |
|          | Total          |                                                   469.69 |                                           1549 |

- (c) Increased ground water recharge is one of the key objectives of Repair, Renovation and R Water bodies scheme.

(d)  &  (e)The mandate  for  enumeration,  protection  and  management  of  water  bodies  is  with Governments concerned. However, this Ministry has impressed upon the States to take necessa keeping all the water bodies encroachment free, inclusion of wate r bodies in land records, incorporat water bodies as integral part of town planning process, and to take strict action against etc.  Further,  water  bodies  are  included  under  RRR  of  Water  Bodies  scheme  only  after  conc Governme nt certifies that the water bodies concerned are free from encroachment.

Also, Central Pollution Control Board under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Clima has in 2019 issued 'Indicative Guidelines for Restoration of Water Bodies', which also address removal of encroachments  and  blockades.  The  guidelines  further  recommend  that  the  State  Governmen Administration may maintain records pertaining to the boundaries of each pond or lake in State/UT,  and  may  also  ensure that  th e  water  body  spread  area/  water  body  boundary  rema encroachment - free.

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