Lok Sabha Question No. 1740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Shortage of Potable Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Abhay Kumar Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1740 ANSWERED ON 01/08/2024

## SHORTAGE OF POTABLE WATER

## †1740. SHRI ABHAY KUMAR SINHA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar are facing an acute shortage of potable water and the ground water table has depleted below 200 to 300 feet;

(b) if so, the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to check further depletion of ground water table and to make arrangements for availability of potable water;

- (c) whether the Government proposes to dig deep bore-wells in the above districts;
- (d) if so, the time by which bore well would be dug and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government proposes to send a Central Assessment Team to Aurangabad and Gaya districts in this regard; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) to (f) Government of India is committed to the provision of safe & potable tap water supply in  adequate  quantity,  of  prescribed  quality  and  on  a  regular  &  long-term  basis  to  all  rural households in the country. Towards this end, the Government of India launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), to be implemented in partnership with states including Bihar, in August 2019. Drinking  Water  is  a  state  subject,  and  hence,  the  responsibility  of  planning,  approval, implementation,  operation,  and  maintenance  of  drinking  water  supply  schemes  lies  with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supports the States by providing technical and financial assistance.

Significant  progress  has  been  made  in  the  country  since  the  launch  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission, towards enhancing access to tap water for rural households. At the time of announcement of JJM, 3.23 Crore rural households in the country were reported to have tap water connections. Since then, additional 11.80 Crore rural households have been provided tap water connections. Thus, as on 30.07.2024, out of 19.32 Crore rural households in the country, provision of tap water supply has been made to 15.03 Crore (77.81%) households. Similarly, in Bihar, 3.16 Lakhs rural households were reported to have tap water connections. Since announcement of JJM, additional 1.57 Crore rural households have been provided tap water connections. Thus, as  on  30.07.2024,  provision  of  tap  water  supply  has  been  made  to  1.60  Crore  (96.08%) households in the State. In Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar, 3.81 lakh (97.75%) & 5.77 lakh (99.29%) rural households have been provided tap connections.

Development of reliable drinking water sources and/ or augmentation of existing sources to provide long-term sustainability of water supply system in villages, is an integral part of Jal Jeevan Mission. Provision has been made for the preparation of Village Action Plan (VAP) by village  community,  which  inter  alia  includes  strengthening  of  drinking  water  sources  in convergence with other schemes such as MGNREGS, Finance Commission grants to rural local bodies/ PRIs, MP & MLA's Local Area Development Fund, District Mineral Development Fund, CSR fund, etc.

In the State of Bihar, assessment of groundwater resources is carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Nodal/Ground Water Department. The Ground Water Resource Assessment of Aurangabad & Gaya districts has been carried out in 2022 and 2023 and findings are given below:

| District   |   Asses sment Year |   Total Annual Ground Water (Hectare meter/Ha m) Recharge |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (Ham) |   Total Extractio n (Ham) |   Stage of Ground Water Extraction (%) | Categorizat ion   |
|------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------|
| Aurangabad |               2022 |                                                    127743 |                                           116612 |                   28611.8 |                                  24.54 | Safe              |
| Aurangabad |               2023 |                                                    136333 |                                           122821 |                   30864   |                                  25.13 | Safe              |
| Gaya       |               2022 |                                                    132061 |                                           119292 |                   49295.8 |                                  41.32 | Safe              |
| Gaya       |               2023 |                                                    124359 |                                           112409 |                   54043.3 |                                  48.08 | Safe              |

It indicates that in the year 2022 and 2023, the stage of extraction for both the districts has increased owing to either reduction in recharge or increase in draft. In both 2022 and 2023, Aurangabad and Gaya have been categorised as Safe.

CGWB monitors groundwater levels  throughout  the  country  on  a  regional  scale  including Aurangabad  and  Gaya  districts  of  Bihar,  four  times  in  every  year  during  the  months  of March/April/May, August, November and January through a network of its Monitoring Wells. During May 2024, the water level in Aurangabad and Gaya districts ranges between 0-20 mbgl and 2-10 mbgl respectively.

In order to assess the long term fluctuation in ground water level, the water level data collected by CGWB during May 2024 has been compared with the mean of May (2014-2023). Analysis of water level data indicates that about 50% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water levels, mostly in the range of 0.0 - 2.0 metre. Further, fall in groundwater levels have also been observed in 50% analysed wells which is mostly in the range of 0.0-2.0 metre. District-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean (Pre-Monsoon 2014 to 2023) and Pre-monsoon 2024 in respect of these districts is presented in Annexure.

Water being a State subject, the aspects related to water resources including its conservation are studied, planned, funded and executed by the State Governments. Government of India provides  technical  support  and,  in  some  cases  financial  assistance  through  schemes  being implemented  by  the  Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  and  Ganga

Rejuvenation. However, following steps have been taken to check depletion of groundwater table:

(i)  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  completed  the  National  Aquifer  Mapping (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of about 25 Lakh sq. km including the entire mappable area of Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar. The Aquifer maps and management plans have been prepared and shared with the respective State agencies for implementation. The  management  plans  include  various  water  conservation  measures  through  recharge structures. Building on the experience of the NAQUIM, CGWB has initiated the NAQUIM 2.0 activities  in  Madanpur  and  Rafiganj  blocks  of  Aurangabad  districts  and  in  Mohanpur  and Fatehpur blocks of Gaya district

(ii)  CGWB  has  prepared  a  Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. The Master Plan envisages construction of about 3.5 thousand in Aurangabad district and 13 thousand structures in Gaya districts  of  Bihar.  The  Master  Plan for  Artificial  Recharge to  Groundwater- 2020 has been circulated to all the States/UTs. Implementation is by State Government.

(iii) Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable legislation for regulation and development of ground water. So far, 21 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the legislation including state of Bihar. The model bill envisages that in urban areas, rain water available from roof tops of buildings and other open areas can be utilized gainfully for ground water recharge. Rain water harvesting structures feasible in urban areas include recharge pits, trench, existing tube wells or open wells etc.

(iv) National Water Policy (2012) formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. It also inter-alia, advocates that  conservation  of  river,  river  bodies  and  infrastructure  should  be  undertaken  in  a scientifically  planned  manner through community  participation.  Further,  encroachment  and diversion of water bodies and drainage channels must not be allowed and wherever it has taken place, it should be restored to the extent feasible and maintained properly.

(v) Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has released Model Building Bye-laws, 2016 which recommends Rainwater Harvesting for all types of Building with plot size 100 sq.m or more. So far, 35 States including state of Bihar have incorporated the provisions in their respective building bye laws.

At present, CGWB has no proposal for digging deep bore wells in these two districts. However, CGWB is going to construct  100m  depth  piezometers,  03  in  Aurangabad  and  05  in  Gaya districts for monitoring of water level by installing DWLR with telemetry.

There is no proposal under consideration of Ministry of Jal Shakti to send a Central Assessment Team to check further depletion of ground water table in Aurangabad  Gaya Districts.

*****

## Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean (Pre-Monsoon 2014 to 2023) and Pre-Monsoon 2024

|               | No of wells   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   | No. of wells in different depth range   |            |          |            |          |
|---------------|---------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|------------|----------|------------|----------|
| District Name |               | Rise                                    | Rise                                    | Rise                                    | Rise                                    | Rise                                    | Rise                                    | Fall                                    | Fall                                    | Fall                                    | Fall                                    | Fall                                    | Fall                                    | Total      | Total    | Total      | Total    |
|               | analysed      | 0 to 2                                  | %                                       | 2 to 4                                  | %                                       | > 4                                     | %                                       | 0 to 2                                  | %                                       | 2 to 4                                  | %                                       | > 4                                     | %                                       | Rise (No.) | Rise (%) | Fall (No.) | Fall (%) |
| Aurangabad    | 10            | 4                                       | 40.0                                    | 2                                       | 20.0                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 3                                       | 30.0                                    | 1                                       | 10.0                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 6          | 60.0     | 4          | 40.0     |
| Gaya          | 6             | 2                                       | 33.3                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 3                                       | 50.0                                    | 1                                       | 16.7                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 2          | 33.3     | 4          | 66.7     |
| Total         | 16            | 6                                       | 37.5                                    | 2                                       | 12.5                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 6                                       | 37.5                                    | 2                                       | 12.5                                    | 0                                       | 0.0                                     | 8          | 50.0     | 8          | 50.0     |

## Annexure