Lok Sabha Question No. 2115 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-20
Subject: Mission Amrit Sarovar
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, Ravindra Kushawaha, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Prataprao  Jadhav, Chandra Prakash Choudhary, Sudheer Gupta, Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Bidyut Baran Mahato, V. Kalanidhi, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2115 ANSWERED ON 20/12/2022

## MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR

## 2115.   SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched Mission Amrit Sarovar recently to construct sarovars in various parts of the country and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the salient features of the said Mission;
- (b) the details of target set by the Government for construction of Amrit Sarovar in the country;
- (c) whether the Government has identified the sites for construction of Amrit Sarovars in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the number of sites on which construction has been started and the sites on which construction will start soon;
- (e) whether the Government has created any portal to capture all the activities taking places under the said mission and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the extent to which the said Mission will be helpful in solving the problem of drinking water in the rural areas of the country;
- (g) the details of the funds likely to be sanctioned under this mission and target set thereunder in the country, State and district-wise; and
- (h) the number of States likely to be covered under this mission, State/district and location-wise including Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a):      Mission  Amrit  Sarovar  has  been  launched  on  24 th April  2022  with  an  objective  to harvest and conserve water for future generation. The salient features of the Mission Amrit Sarovar is given at Annexure-I.
- (b):     The  Mission  Amrit  Sarovar  had  initially  planned  a  target  to  construct  or  rejuvenate 50,000  Amrit  Sarovar  ponds  across  India  till  15th  August  2023.  Now,  additional  50,000 Amrit Sarovar ponds will be constructed by 15th August 2023.
- (c):     Yes, Sir. The State Governments have identified sites for constructing Amrit Sarovar in the country.
- (d):    As on 14.12.2022, the construction works has been started on 53,050  sites. The sites on which construction will start soon are 38,503.
- (e):      The  Govt  has  created  a  portal  to  capture  all  the  activities  taking  place  under  the Mission. The details of the identified sites, works commenced and works completed may be seen through the following link: https://amritsarovar.gov.in/login.
- (f):     Every Amrit Sarovar will have a pondage area of 1 acre with a water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic metre.
- (g): There is no seperate financial allocation for Mission Amrit Sarovar. The Mission Amrit Sarovar works through the States and Districts with convergence from various ongoing schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi  NREGS), 15th Finance Commission Grants,  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sichayi  Yojna sub schemes such as Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States' own scheme. Public contribution like crowd funding and Corporate Social Responsibility is also allowed for the work.
- (h):    The number of States/ Union Territories covered under the mission including States of Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu are 34. The details of the State/Districts and Location maybe seen through the following link: https://amritsarovar.gov.in/login

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## Annexure-I referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2115 dated 20.12.2022.

- i. Mission  Amrit  Sarovar  is  based  on  'Whole  of  Government'  approach  with  the participation  from  the  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and technical organizations.
- ii. Under the Mission every district of the country will construct or rejuvenate at least 75 Amrit Sarovars.
- iii. Every Amrit Sarovar will have a pondage area of at least 1 acre with a water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic metre.
- iv. Every Amrit Sarovar will be surrounded by trees like Neem, Peepal and Banyan etc.
- v. Every Amrit Sarovar will be a source of generation of livelihoods by using the water for different purposes like irrigation, fisheries, duckery, cultivation of water chestnut, water  tourism  and  other  activities.  The  Amrit  Sarovar  will  also  act  as  a  social gathering point in that locality.
- vi. Mission Amrit Sarovar is a visible manifestation of the action during Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- vii. Every Amrit Sarovar site is a place for flag hoisting on every Independence Day. In Mission  Amrit  Sarovar,  freedom  fighters  or  their  family  members,  martyrs'  family members, Padma awardees are associated.
- viii. The Mission Amrit Sarovar works through the States and Districts with convergence from  various  schemes  such  as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS),  15th  Finance  Commission  Grants, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichayi Yojna sub schemes such as Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States' own scheme. Public contribution like crowd funding and Corporate Social Responsibility is also allowed for the work.
- ix. The Mission Amrit Sarovar focuses on water conservation, people's participation and proper  utilization  of  soil  excavated  from  the  water  bodies  to  boost  infrastructural projects.
- x. Ministry  of  Railways,  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  &  Highways  and  other  public agencies  engaged  for  infrastructure  project  development  are  also  engaged  in  the Mission for the purpose of use of soil/silt excavated out of the Amrit Sarovar.

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