Lok Sabha Question No. 640 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-06
Subject: Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative in Kerala
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 640

ANSWERED ON 06.02.2025

## JAL SANCHAY JAN BHAGIDARI INITIATIVE IN KERALA

## 640. SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  specific  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  implement  the  Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari initiative in the districts of Kerala, especially in Kasargode;

(b)  the  details  of  the  budget  allocated  for  the  Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari  initiative  along  with  the  funds distributed to Kerala, district-wise and;

(c)  the  major  challenges  faced  by  the  Government  in  the  implementation  of  Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari  in Kerala along with the steps taken/being taken to address these challenges?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative,  launched  under  the  Jal Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign, aims to promote community-driven water conservation and groundwater recharge across  the  country,  including  Kerala.  The  initiative  focuses  on  constructing  one  million  artificial  recharge structures  through  a  convergent  and  participatory  approach  by  leveraging  multiple  funding  sources  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  Sinchayi Yojana  (PMKSY),  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  (CAMPA),  Finance  Commission  grants,  Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions etc.

The Government has taken specific steps to facilitate implementation in Kerala, including Kasargode, by  issuing  an  advisory  on  07.10.2024,  in  collaboration  with  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB),  to District  Magistrates/Deputy  Commissioners  and  Municipal  Corporations  for  implementation.  To  ensure transparency  and  quality  monitoring,  the  Ministry  has  developed  the  Jal  Sanchay  Dashboard,  an  online platform  for  tracking  recharge  structures  using  GIS  coordinates,  photographs  and  financial  details.  As  on 04.02.2025,  5.18  lakh  recharge  structures  have  been  onboarded  under  the  Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari initiative with around 2,768 recharge structures in Kerala including 387 recharge structure in Kasargode. Furthermore, 1% of recharge structures are test-checked for quality assurance. CWC and CGWB

also provide technical assistance for the creation and renovation of recharge structures to improve groundwater augmentation efforts.

Technical officers from CGWB and Central Water Commission (CWC) are assigned to each district and  municipal  corporation  to  provide  guidance,  with  four  dedicated  CGWB  officers  stationed  at  National Water Mission (NWM) to support States, Ministries, Industries and NGOs in implementation. Additionally, Frequently  Asked  Questions  (FAQs)  and  technical  advisory  documents  have  been  prepared  by  CGWB  in collaboration with  NWM and widely disseminated through the JSA: CTR portal to assist stakeholders at all levels. Information,  Education,  and  Communication  (IEC)  activities  have  also  been  undertaken  to  spread awareness about the initiative.

(b) The  Jal  Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative does not have a separate dedicated budget but is implemented through  convergence  of  existing  schemes  and  funds  are  made  available  under  various  Central  and  State programs such as MGNREGS, AMRUT, PDMC, PMKSY, CAMPA, CSR etc.

(c) Implementing Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) in any State, Kerala included, can pose a challenge due to various technical, social, economic and institutional factors.  Like in a few other states, implementation of the JSJB initiative in Kerala may face several challenges, of geographic condition, slope, high-rainfall, high runoff, water  logging  etc,  making  the  scope  for  water  conservation  structures  for  direct  recharge  of  ground  water, limited.  To  address  this,  as  water  may  be  needed  in  such  areas  too,  during  lean  and  dry  seasons,  rainwater harvesting structures, like Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting Structures for collection and storage of rainwater is encouraged. Additionally, land constraint, congestion, unplanned construction in urban and peri-urban areas in states  with  high  density  population,  pose  further  challenge  in  constructing  artificial  recharge  structures.  In response, the Government has issued Advisory and FAQ, to promote rooftop rainwater harvesting for direct ground water recharge, rejuvenation of traditional/ existing water bodies  and integrating recharge structures with  existing  infrastructure,  in  such  areas.  To  promote  behaviour  change  ,  JSJB  encourages  intensified community action and ownership for water conservation.

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