Lok Sabha Question No. 3108 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Linking of Crop Pattern with Ground Water Availability
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3108

ANSWERED ON 04.08.2022

## LINKING OF CROP PATTERN WITH GROUND WATER AVAILABILITY

## 3108  SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government concurs with the view that linking cropping patterns and crop intensity with ground water availability, aquifer type and the present state of ground water extraction at the farm level is imperative;

(b) if so, the details of the initiatives taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard; and (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) & (b) 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. The Central Government has taken following  steps  including  policy  framework/guidelines  to  manage/control  groundwater  extraction  by various users including irrigation:

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.

Groundwater  regulation  guideline  dated  24.09.2020  with  pan  India  applicability  have  been  notified  to protect and regulate groundwater resources in the country.

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. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is implementing National Aquifer Mapping Program to delineate aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/  area  specific  ground  water management plans with community participation. Recommendations for ground water management plan include  recommendations  for  demand  side  management  including  change  in  cropping  patterns,  crop diversification etc. The recommendations are shared with the State Governments for suitable interventions. ' 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  agro-climatic-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. Further,  other  important  steps  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  the  sustainable  ground  water

management in the country are available at http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_ depletion\_july2022.pdf.

(c) Question does not arise in view of the reply given above.

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