Lok Sabha Question No. 1386 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-10
Subject: Encroachment on Ponds
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED STARRED QUESTION NO. 1386

ANSWERED ON 10.02.2022

## ENCROACHMENT ON PONDS

## † 1386.   SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of encroachment on different ponds in the country;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has taken any steps in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to dig out the lost ponds on which encroachment has been made in the country including in Bundelkhand region with the help of State Governments; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d)  Water  being  a  State  subject,  it  is  for  the  State  Governments  concerned  to  take  cognizance  of encroachment on different ponds in the State, and to take up programmes and schemes for protection and restoration of its water bodies against encroachment.

However, in order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Government of India has taken a number of important initiatives for enumeration, conservation and development of water bodies, details of which are as below:

In 2019, Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched by the Government. This was followed in 2021, by 'Jal Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  The  Rain'  (JSA:CTR)  campaign.  Focused  interventions  under  these  annual campaigns taken up by the Government of India and the State Governments, inter-alia, include renovation of traditional and other water bodies/ tanks, enumeration, geo-tagging and making inventory of all water bodies, and removal of encroachments of tanks/lakes, and de-silting of tanks.

As per the 5 th Minor  Irrigation  Census  conducted  by  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  with  reference  year 2013-14, there are 5,16,303 water bodies in the rural areas of the country which are being used for minor irrigation, out of which 53,396 are not in use for various reasons such as non-availability of water, siltation, salinity, etc.

Government of India has launched the first Census of water bodies in convergence with the Sixth round  of  Minor  Irrigation  Census  (reference  year  2017-18),  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Irrigation Census'. The objective of the Census of Water bodies is to develop a national database for all water bodies in the country.

Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  is  providing  financial  assistance  to  the  identified  schemes  under  Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies and Surface Minor Irrigation component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)-Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP). Since XII plan onwards, financial assistance has been provided for RRR of 2,228 water bodies in the country, out of which 51 water bodies belong  to  Bundelkhand  region  of  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Madhya  Pradesh.  Against  the  total  outlay  of  Rs. 1,914.86 crore for these water bodies, central assistance of Rs.  469.69 crore has been released to various states upto March, 2021. Further, 1549 water bodies have been completed upto March, 2021, as reported by States. Target irrigation potential restoration of these schemes is 1.89 lakh hectare, out of which 1.31 lakh hectare is reported to be restored till March, 2021.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) has provisions for public works relating to natural resource management, water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment and improve ground water like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structures in public buildings.