Lok Sabha Question No. 3668 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Regulation of Ground Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3668

ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023

## REGULATION OF GROUND WATER

## † 3668. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  of  the  framework/guidelines  being  applied/followed  by  the  Government  to  regulate ground water management activities in the country;

(b) the details of the ground water projects implemented by the Government in the country, State-wise along with the status of these projects;

(c)  whether  any  collaboration  has  been  made  by  the  Government  with  any  foreign  or  domestic  and Government or private entities for such projects; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Water  being  State  subject,  groundwater  management  is  regulated  by  the  states   as  per  extant Central/ State guidelines promulgated/issued from time to time. However, some of the framework/guidelines notified/issued by the Central Government are as under:

- i. Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  under  section  3(3)  of  the "Environment (Protection) Act, 1986" for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water by industries, mining projects, infrastructure projects etc in the country. The guidelines in this regard, with pan-India applicability, were notified by the Ministry on 24 September 2020 with subsequent amendment on 29 March 2023. CGWA and States issue No Objection Certificate (NOC)  for  extraction  of  groundwater  to  various  industries/project  proponents  as  per  their jurisdiction  and  as  per  the  extant  guidelines.  The  guidelines  also  include  provisions  for groundwater  management  in  agriculture  sector.  The  detailed  guidelines  are  available  at  the weblink: https://cgwa-noc.gov.in/LandingPage/Guidelines.htm
- ii. Ministry  has  circulated  a  Model  Bill  to  all  the  States/UTs  to  enable  them  to  enact  suitable ground water legislation for regulation of its development, which also includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 21 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the Model ground water legislations with certain modifications suiting to their needs.
- iii. Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL) 2016 circulated by Ministry of Housing &Urban Affairs include provisions for Rainwater Harvesting and it has been shared with all the States/ UTs. So far, 35 States/UTs have adopted the provisions of rainwater harvesting of MBBL-2016.

(b) Water  being  a  State  subject,  effective  rainwater  harvesting/recharge  of  groundwater  including taking  up  groundwater  projects  for  its  sustainable  management in  the  country  falls  under  States' mandate. However, a number of steps have been taken by Central government which can be accessed through web-link https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2023/02/2023021742.pdf Some of them are listed as under.

- i. Government of India is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the country. First JSA was launched  in  2019  in  water  stressed  blocks  of  256  districts  which  continued  during  the  years 2021  and 2022  ,(across  entire  country  both  rural  and  urban  areas)  with  the  primary  aim  to effectively  harvest  the  monsoon  rainfall  through  creation  of  artificial  recharge  structures, watershed  management,  recharge  and  reuse  structures,  intensive  afforestation  and  awareness generation etc. JSA for the year 2023 have been launched by Hon'ble President of India on 04 March 2023 with the theme 'Source Sustainability for Drinking Water'.Central Government is generally utilizing the funds available under MGNREGA and PMKSY-Watershed development component for supporting the JSA.
- ii. Hon'ble Prime Minister has launched Amrit Sarovar Mission on 24 th April 2022. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- iii. Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a Rs. 6000 crore Central Sector Scheme, is being implemented by the Ministry for sustainable management of ground water resources which include activities like preparation of water security plan at Gram Panchayat level in participatory mode by involving communities to use available groundwater and surface water in an efficient manner. The scheme is  being taken up in select areas that include 80 districts, 229 administrative blocks and 8220 water  stressed  Gram  Panchayats  of  seven  States,  viz.  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh from 01.04.2020.This is first scheme of its kind  which  involve  community-based  planning,  monitoring,  sharing  and  use  of  groundwater data, capacity building of all stake-holders, community led groundwater management through a combination of demand side and supply side management.
- iv. Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWM&R) scheme is a continuing central sector scheme  being  implemented  in  the  country  by  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB).  Major activities being taken up under the scheme include aquifer mapping (NAQUIM) for the entire country  and  other  activities  of  CGWB  such  as  ground  water  level  and  quality  monitoring  on

regular basis, assessment of dynamic ground water resources in collaboration with States/UTs, regulation  and  control  of  ground  water  withdrawal  in  certain  States/UTs,  taking  up  few demonstrative  recharge  projects  in  selected  water  stressed  areas,  strengthening  of  scientific infrastructure for technological upgradation etc.

- v. National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)  which  has been implemented with the objectives to delineate and characterize the aquifers and develop plans for ground water management. The entire mappable area of the country (around 25 lakh sq km) has been covered under the programme.  The details have been shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions. State-wise details in this regard is given at Annexure I.
- vi. The  GWM&R  scheme  has  a  small  component  for  artificial  groundwater  recharge  which  is demonstrative  in  nature.  During  the  last  04  years,  CGWB  has  taken  up  three  demonstrative artificial  recharge  projects  under  the  scheme,  details  of  the  funds  allocated  are  given  at Annexure II .

(c) & (d) Atal Bhujal Yojana is a Central Sector scheme which is being implemented in collaboration with World Bank to strengthen demand side management of ground water.

Further,  CGWB  has  prepared  'Empowering  Village  Communities  for  A  Sustainable  Water Future:  A  Resource  Book  for  village  level  para-hydrogeologists'  jointly  with  MARVI  (Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater Use through Village-level Intervention) partners which, inter-alia,  include  Western  Sydney  University,  Australia,  CSIRO  Land  &  Water,  Australia,  Arid Communities and Technologies,  Bhuj  and  Development  Support  Center,  Ahmedabad.  This  is  a  step which  is  likely  to  help  facilitate  participation  of  village  communities  in  ground  water  resource management including adequate awareness generation, ensuring a sustainable water future.

ANNEXURE- I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3668 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.08.2023 REGARDING 'REGULATION OF GROUNDWATER'.

| Sl. No.   | State/UT             | Total Area   | Area targeted for coverage (Mappable area only)   | Coverage till March 2023   |
|-----------|----------------------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
| 1         | Andaman &Nicobar UT  | 8,249        | 1,774                                             | 1,774                      |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh       | 1,63,900     | 1,41,784                                          | 1,41,784                   |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh    | 83,743       | 4,703                                             | 4,703                      |
| 4         | Assam                | 78,438       | 61,826                                            | 61,826                     |
| 5         | Bihar                | 94,163       | 90,567                                            | 90,567                     |
| 6         | Chandigarh UT        | 115          | 115                                               | 115                        |
| 7         | Chhattisgarh         | 1,36,034     | 96,000                                            | 96,000                     |
| 8         | Dadra &Nagar Haveli, | 602          | 602                                               | 602                        |
| 9         | Daman &Diu UT        | 1,483        | 1,483                                             | 1,483                      |
| 10        | Goa                  | 3,702        | 3,702                                             | 3,702                      |
| 11        | Gujarat              | 1,96,024     | 1,60,978                                          | 1,60,978                   |
| 12        | Haryana              | 44,212       | 44,179                                            | 44,179                     |
| 13        | Himachal Pradesh     | 55,673       | 8,020                                             | 8,020                      |
| 14        | Jammu &Kashmir UT    | 1,67,396     | 9,506                                             | 9,506                      |
| 15        | Jharkhand            | 79,714       | 76,705                                            | 76,705                     |
| 16        | Karnataka            | 1,91,808     | 1,91,719                                          | 1,91,719                   |
| 17        | Kerala               | 38,863       | 28,088                                            | 28,088                     |
| 18        | Lakshadweep UT       | 32           | 32                                                | 32                         |
| 19        | Ladakh UT            | 54,840       | 963                                               | 963                        |
| 20        | Madhya Pradesh       | 3,08,000     | 2,69,349                                          | 2,69,349                   |
| 21        | Maharashtra          | 3,07,713     | 2,59,914                                          | 2,59,914                   |
| 22        | Manipur              | 22,327       | 2,559                                             | 2,559                      |
| 23        | Meghalaya            | 22,429       | 10,645                                            | 10,645                     |
| 24        | Mizoram              | 21,081       | 700                                               | 700                        |
| 25        | Nagaland             | 16,579       | 910                                               | 910                        |
| 26        | Odisha               | 1,55,707     | 1,19,636                                          | 1,19,636                   |
| 27        | Puducherry UT        | 479          | 454                                               | 454                        |
| 28        | Punjab               | 50,368       | 50,368                                            | 50,368                     |
| 29        | Rajasthan            | 3,42,239     | 3,34,152                                          | 3,34,152                   |
| 30        | Sikkim               | 7,096        | 1,496                                             | 1,496                      |
| 31        | Tamil Nadu           | 1,30,058     | 1,05,829                                          | 1,05,829                   |
| 32        | Telangana            | 1,11,940     | 1,04,824                                          | 1,04,824                   |
| 33        | Tripura              | 10,492       | 6,757                                             | 6,757                      |
| 34        | Uttar Pradesh        | 2,46,387     | 2,40,649                                          | 2,40,649                   |
| 35        | Uttarakhand          | 53,484       | 11,430                                            | 11,430                     |
| 36        | West Bengal          | 88,752       | 71,947                                            | 71,947                     |
|           | Total                | 3294105      | 2514437                                           | 2514437                    |

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3668 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.08.2023 REGARDING 'REGULATION OF GROUNDWATER'.

The details of the funds sanctioned by CGWB during last four years under GWM&R Scheme for the construction of demonstrative rain water harvesting structures

|   S. No. | Project                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | Year                | Type of Structures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |   Fund sanctioned (in Crores) |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|        1 | Aquifer recharge in Aspirational Districts: 1. Osamanabad block, Osamanabad district, Maharashtra state 2. Pulivendula block, YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh and 3. Bachennapet block, Warangal district, Telangana state. | 2018-20 (completed) | 1. Check Dam-55, Piezometers-20 Rain Water Harvesting structures-46. 2. Check Dams-16, Percolation Tank-4, Sub-Surface Barriers- 01, Recharge Shaft- 36, Piezometers-12. 3. Check Dams-6, Sub- Surface Barrier-01, Recharge Shafts-31, Piezometers-9 |                         54.38 |
|        2 | Bridge Cum Bandhara (BCB) in Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                                        | 2018-20 (Completed) | 05                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                         30.29 |
|        3 | Artificial Recharge in select water stressed Districts of Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                             | In progress         | 1. Indroka Zoned Earth fill Dam with Clay Core-1 2. Bastawa Mata Concrete Gravity Dam-1 3. Water Harvesting Structures-154                                                                                                                           |                        164.81 |

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