Lok Sabha Question No. 3621 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Restoration of Water Bodies
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Francisco Cosme Sardinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3621

ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023

## RESTORATION OF WATER BODIES

## 3621. SHRI COSME FRANCISCO CAITANO SARDINHA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any projects for restoration of water bodies/reservoirs in Goa;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is implementing any scheme for enhancing drinking water supply in the State of Goa; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) Water being a State subject, it is for the State Government concerned, including Government of Goa, to undertake projects for restoration of waterbodies/ reservoirs in their respective territory. However, in order to supplement the efforts of the State Government, a number of initiates have been taken by Government of India, some of which are given below.

1. Under Repair,  Renovation  and  Restoration  of  water  bodies  components  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi Sinchayee  Yojana-  Har  Khet  Ko  Pani,  partial  financial  assistance  is  provided  by  Government  of India  for  renovation  of  identified  projects/  clusters  of  water  bodies.  In  recent  past,  no  eligible proposal has been forwarded by Government of Goa for inclusion under the said scheme.
2. Focused interventions under Jal Shakti Abhiyan annual campaigns taken up by the Government of India and the State Governments, inter-alia, include renovation of traditional and other water bodies/ tanks,  enumeration,  geo-tagging  and  making  inventory  of  all  water  bodies,  and  removal  of encroachments of tanks/ lakes, and de-silting of tanks. A total of 39 number of water bodies have been restored in the State of Goa under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan so far.
3. Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MNREGS)  has  provisions  for public  works  relating  to  natural  resource  management,  water  conservation  and  water  harvesting

structures to augment and improve ground water like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structures in public buildings. 568 number of water bodies have been rejuvenated under the scheme in the State of Goa, with an expenditure of Rs. 5.01 crore.

4. Launched in April 2022, Mission Amrit Sarovar is aimed at developing and rejuvenating at least 75 water bodies of minimum pondage area of 1 acre each, in each district of the country as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. A total of 164 number of water bodies have been included under the scheme from the State of Goa.
5. Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  has  conducted  first  Census  of  Water  Bodies  in  convergence  with  the  Sixth Minor Irrigation Census (Reference Year 2017-18) with the objective of developing a national data base of all water bodies in the country. The Water Bodies Census inter-alia contains information on all  important  aspects  on  the  subject  including  their  size,  condition,  status  of  encroachment,  use storage capacity, status of filling up storage etc.
6. Rejuvenation of water bodies is also a component under Water Supply sector of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  Scheme  under  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban Affairs.  Further,  AMRUT  2.0  launched  in  October,  2021,  targets  to  promote  circular  economy  of water  through  development  of  city  water  balance  plan  for  each  city  focusing  on  recycle/reuse  of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation. While no water body was taken up under AMRUT from Goa, 2 number of water bodies have been included under AMRUT 2.0 from the State of Goa, with estimated expenditure of Rs. 11.96 crore.

(c) & (d) Since August 2019, Government  of India, in partnership with State Governments, is implementing  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)-Har  Ghar  Jal  to  enable  every  rural  household  in  the  country including those in Goa, to have assured potable water through tap connection.

At  the  time  of  announcement  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  in  Goa  1.99  lakh  out  of  2.63  lakh  total  rural households  were  reported  to  have  tap  water  connections.  Thereafter,  all  remaining  0.64  lakh  rural households have been provided tap water connection under the Mission.

Apart from the above, State Government has reported that three projects, having combined capacity of 295 million liters per day (MLD) raw water, are under implementation for augmentation of drinking water supply in Goa. The combined estimated cost of the three projects is Rs. 370 crore.

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