Lok Sabha Question No. 3857 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Irrigation Projects in Assam
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 3857

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2023

## IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN ASSAM

## †3857. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the drinking water and irrigation projects taken up in the State of Assam;

(b) the details of the projects for which funds have been allocated in Bodo Territorial Council during the last five years;

(c)  whether  any  agreement  has  been  signed  with  Bhutan  towards  ensuring  water  supply  into  Bodo Territorial Council Area of Assam and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the details of the schemes being run by the Government to ensure availability of drinking water for every household?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Drinking water, as well as irrigation projects, are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State  Governments  themselves  as  per  their  own  resources  and  priorities.  In  order  to  supplement  the efforts  of  the  State  Governments,  Government  of  India  provides  technical  support,   and  also  partial financial  assistance under its various schemes and programmes such as Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for drinking water, and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for irrigation projects.

To make provision for tap-water supply to every rural household in districts across the country by 2024, including  Assam,  since August 2019, the  Government of  India, in partnership  with States, has been implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). At the time of the announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, 1.11 lakh (1.69%) households were reported to have tap water connections in the State of Assam. As on 15.03.2023, about 46% of households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes in the State, and the remaining 54% of rural households are planned to be covered by 2024. The State/ UT, District & village-wise status of tap water connection in rural households etc., as reported by States/ UTs, is in the public domain and available on the JJM dashboard at:

https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx

Further,  the  various  components  of  PMKSY  being  implemented  by  this  Ministry  include Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefits  Programme  (AIBP),  and  Har  Khet  Ko  Pani  (HKKP).  HKKP,  in  turn, consists of four components - Command Area Development & Water Management (being implemented pari  passu with AIBP), Surface Minor  Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation and Restoration of water bodies (RRR of water bodies), and Ground Water Development (GW Development). Irrigation potential created through the various components of PMKSY being implemented by this Ministry during last five years, is tabulated below.

| S.No.   | Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana being implemented by Ministry of Jal Shakti                                                                                                                                       | Irrigation potential created in thousand hectare   | Irrigation potential created in thousand hectare   | Irrigation potential created in thousand hectare   | Irrigation potential created in thousand hectare   | Irrigation potential created in thousand hectare   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
|         | Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana being implemented by Ministry of Jal Shakti                                                                                                                                       | 2017-18                                            | 2018-19                                            | 2019-20                                            | 2020-21                                            | 2021-22                                            |
| 1       | Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme with pari passu implementation of CAD&WM, consisting of four projects, namely, Champamati, Dhansiri, Borolia & Extension, renovation and modernization (ERM) of Sukla irrigation projects) | -                                                  | 1.17                                               | -                                                  | -                                                  | 7.10                                               |
| 2       | Surface Minor Irrigation schemes                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 15.76                                              | 9.95                                               | 6.73                                               | -                                                  | -                                                  |
| 3       | Ground Water Development                                                                                                                                                                                                            | -                                                  | -                                                  | 18.17                                              | 12.17                                              | 8.32                                               |

(b) ERM  of  Sukla  project,  benefitting  Kamrup  &  Baksa  districts  of  Bodoland  Territorial  Council (BTC),  Assam, was included under PMKSY- AIBP in the year 2021-22 with an estimated cost of AIBP component of Rs. 258.47 crore. Central assistance released for the project till date is Rs. 41.98 crore.

Further,  a  number  of  SMI  schemes  of  BTC  region  of  Assam  have  also  been  provided  financial assistance under PMKSY-HKKP. Details of central assistance released during last five years and current year, is given below:

Rs. in crore

|                                                    |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 | 2022-23   |
|----------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Central assistance released for SMI schemes of BTC |     117.1 |     229.4 |     238.5 |     66.89 |    147.13 | -         |

- (c) No Sir. However, some of the initiatives taken by Government of India in the field of cooperation with Bhutan in the field of water resources benefitting Assam including BTC are given below.
1. A scheme titled 'Comprehensive Scheme for Establishment of Hydro-meteorological and Flood Forecasting  Network  on  rivers  Common  to  India  and  Bhutan'  is  in  operation.  The  network consists  of  32  Hydro-meteorological/  meteorological  stations  located  in  Bhutan  and  being maintained by the Royal Government of Bhutan with funding from India. The data received from these stations are utilized in India for formulating flood forecasts.
2. Joint Experts Team (JET) consisting of senior officials from the Government of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan(RGoB) continuously reviews the progress and other requirements

of a network of 32 hydro-meteorological sites in the catchments of rivers Puthimari, Pagladiya, Sunkosh, Manas, Raidak, Torsa, Aie and Jaldhaka common to India and Bhutan.

3. A Joint Group of Expert (JGE) on Flood Management has been constituted between India and Bhutan to discuss and assess the probable causes and effects of the recurring floods and erosion in  the  southern  foothills  of  Bhutan  and  adjoining  plains  in  India  and  recommend  to  both Governments appropriate and mutually acceptable remedial measures.
4. A  Joint  Technical  Team  (JTT)  on  Flood  Management  between  the  two  countries  has  been constituted  to  assess  the  field  situation  and  provide  technical  support  to  JGE  on  flood management.

(d) In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, since August 2019, the Government of India  has  been  implementing  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  in  partnership  with  States  after  subsuming  the erstwhile National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to make provision for tap water supply to  every  rural  household  by  2024.  The  key  features  of  the  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  are  to  make provision for potable water to every rural household through tap water connection at a service level of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd), of prescribed quality (BIS:10500), on regular and long-term basis.

*****