Lok Sabha Question No. 2707 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Functions of Brahmaputra Board
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

2707

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2707

ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## FUNCTIONS OF BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) the details of various water resources schemes being implemented by the Ministry;

(b) the functions of the Brahmaputra Board along with the areas of its functioning including its annual budget;

(c) the details of the areas where the Board completed the work during the last three years;

(d) the details of the schemes through which water provision is made to the areas facing scarcity of water;

(e) the details of the schemes implemented for providing water facility in North-Eastern States;

(f)  whether  the  Brahmaputra  Board  itself  manages  any  project  or  runs  it  with  the  assistance  of  the State Government;

(g) if so, the details thereof; and

(h) the details of CSR budgets of Brahmaputra board and WAPCOS during the last five years along with the details of the works completed through the CSR funds?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a) The details of various water resources schemes being implemented by the Ministry are as given below:

1. Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY) :  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched during the year 2015-16, with an aim to enhance physical access of water  on  farm  and  expand  cultivable  area  under  assured  irrigation,  improve  on-farm  water  use efficiency,  introduce  sustainable  water  conservation  practices,  etc.  PMKSY  is  an  umbrella  scheme, consisting  of  two  major  components  being  implemented  by  this  Ministry,  namely,  Accelerated Irrigation  Benefits Programme (AIBP), and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP). HKKP, in turn, consists of four  sub-components,  being  Command  Area  Development  &  Water  Management  (CAD&WM), Surface  Minor  Irrigation  (SMI),  Repair,  Renovation  and  Restoration  (RRR)  of  Water  Bodies,  and Ground Water (GW) Development component. However, the CAD&WM sub-component of HKKP is being implemented pari-passu with AIBP.

2. Atal Bhujal Yojana: Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana in select waterstressed  areas  of  7  States  namely,  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra, Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh  with  an  aim  to  community  led  sustainable  ground  water  management. Under this scheme, communities are being mobilized and made aware about ground water situation in their area through focused IEC, training and awareness activities, which leads to preparation of water budget and Water Security Plans (WSPs). The scheme mainly focuses on demand side interventions such as use of micro irrigation, pipes for irrigation, crop diversification etc. however, the supply side interventions with an aim of ground water recharge such as construction of check dams farm ponds, various artificial recharge structures etc. are also part of WSPs. The proposed interventions are being implemented in the field through convergence of various Central/State schemes by line departments.

3. Ground  Water  Management  &Regulation :  CGWB  is  implementing  the  Central  Sector Scheme  on  'Ground  Water  Management  &  Regulation'  which  has  three  components  namely  A) National  Aquifer  Mapping  &  Management  Program  (NAQUIM)  B)  Ground  Water  Monitoring, Resource Assessment, Regulation, Information Dissemination, etc., and C) Strengthening of infrastructure for technical upgradation.

(b) The functions of Brahmaputra Board stipulated in the Brahmaputra Board Act are:

- i. Carry out survey and investigation in the Brahmaputra Valley (within its jurisdiction) and to prepare Master Plans for the control of floods and bank erosion and improvement of drainage in the Brahmaputra Valley. The Board shall have regard to the development and utilization of water resources of the Brahmaputra Valley for irrigation, hydro power, navigation and other beneficial  purposes  and  shall,  as  far  as  possible,  indicate  in  such  plan  the  works  and  other measures which may be undertaken for such development.
- ii. Formulation of programme, in consultation with State Government(s), for construction/implementation,  in  phases,  of  dams  and  other  projects  identified  in  the  Master Plans, approved by Government of India;
- iii. Preparation of Detailed Project Reports and estimates including apportionment of cost among States in respect of the dams and other projects;
- iv. Finalization of standards and specifications for construction, operation and maintenance of such dams and other projects;
- v. Construction, operation and maintenance of Multipurpose and other Water Resources Projects, identified in the Master Plans, on approval of Government of India;

The annual budget for the Brahmaputra Board is 120 Cr for FY 2022-23.

(c) The  areas  where  the  Brahmaputra  Board  completed  the  work  during  the  last  three  years  are  as given below:

- i. Execution of the Protection of Balat village from erosion of river Umngi in Meghalaya.
- ii. Execution of anti erosion works for protection of Mankachar, Kalair Alga international border area from erosion of river Brahmaputra in Assam.
- iii. Execution of anti erosion measures for bank protection of BhajanerCherra in the left bank of river Mansai in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

(d)  &  (e) Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana in select water stressed areas of 7  States  namely,  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and  Uttar Pradesh  with  an  aim  to  community  led  sustainable  ground  water  management.  Under  this  scheme, communities are being mobilized and made aware about ground water situation in their area through focused IEC, training and awareness activities, which leads to preparation of water budget and Water Security Plans (WSPs).

Since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household of the country, including those in NE States and areas facing scarcity of water by 2024.

Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  and  Ganga  Rejuvenation,  Ministry  of  Jal Shakti, Government of India has launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - Har Khet Ko Paani - Ground Water Irrigation (PMKSY-HKKP-GW). The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to States for assured ground water irrigation to small and marginal farmers. Under this scheme, so far 9 projects in 6 States of Northeastern States have been sanctioned central funding since 2019, namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.

(f)  &  (g) Brahmaputra Board does not manage any project with the assistance of State Governments.

(h) There  is  no  CSR  budget  for  Brahmaputra  Board.  However,  the  details  of  CSR  budget  of WAPCOS for last five years  along  with  details  of  works  completed  through  the  CSR  funds  are  as given below.

| Year   | Year    |   Budget (Rs. in Lakh) Sector in which CSR fund utilized | Budget (Rs. in Lakh) Sector in which CSR fund utilized       |
|--------|---------|----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| (i)    | 2021-22 |                                                   296    | Environmental Sustainability/Health Care/ School Education   |
| (ii)   | 2020-21 |                                                   386.03 | Rural Development/ Health Care/ School Education             |
| (iii)  | 2019-20 |                                                   352.07 | Environmental Sustainability/ Rural Development/ Health Care |
| (iv)   | 2018-19 |                                                   302.83 | Skill Development/ Preventive Health Care/ School Education  |
| (v)    | 2017-18 |                                                   267.75 | Environmental Sustainability/ Rural Development/ Health Care |

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