Lok Sabha Question No. 1708 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures under JSJB Initiative
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, Shri Rajesh Ranjan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1708

ANSWERED ON 05.12.2024

## CONSTRUCTION OF RAINWATER HARVESTING STRUCTURES UNDER JSJB INITIATIVE

1708.

SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has a concrete strategy to construct one million rainwater harvesting structures under the Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether any specific regions or water-stressed districts have been prioritised under this initiative, if so, details thereof; and

(c)  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  mechanisms  in  place  to  assess  the  effectiveness  of  these  rainwater harvesting structures in achieving groundwater recharge and conservation goals?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative has been launched as a part of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign with a special emphasis on construction of artificial recharge structures across the country.  The  Government  has  adopted  a  convergent  approach  for  constructing  at  least  a  million  artificial recharge structures under this initiative. This includes leveraging resources from schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Per Drop More Crop, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA), Finance Commission grants, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions etc. This convergent funding ensures synergy and maximizes impact. The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative aims to conserve every drop of water through collective efforts, following a whole-ofsociety and whole-of-government approach.

(b) No specific regions or water-stressed districts have been prioritised under this initiative. The initiative focuses on both rural and urban areas across the country encouraging cost-effective, local solutions tailored to specific water challenges across different regions ensuring long-term sustainability.

(c) The  Government  has  implemented  robust  monitoring  and  evaluation  mechanisms  to  assess  the effectiveness of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative. The Jal Sanchay dashboard has been created

SHRI RAJESH RANJAN

which is used for tracking the progress and locations of recharge structures, with geo-tagged data to monitor their  implementation.  To  strengthen  monitoring,  Nodal  Officers  have  been  designated  from  the  Central Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  and  the  Central  Water  Commission  (CWC).  These  officers  work  in collaboration  with  District  Nodal  Officers  to  ensure  the  timely  and  accurate  updating  of  data  on  the dashboard. In addition, to uphold data integrity and accountability, 1% of the constructed recharge structures will be subject to verification and testing by CGWB and CWC Nodal Officers. These measures underscore the Government's commitment to transparent, accountable and data-driven governance in the implementation of the JSJB initiative.

The Dynamic groundwater resources of India undergo assessment every year through a collaborative effort  involving  State  Governments  and  CGWB.  Periodic  estimation  of  Dynamic  groundwater  resources provides  pivotal  information  concerning  annual  replenishment,  utilization  and  the  overall  accessibility  of groundwater to various stakeholders across all assessment units in the country.

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