Lok Sabha Question No. 2472 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-13
Subject: Water Crisis in Aurangabad District in Bihar
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. 2472 ANSWERED ON 13/03/2025

## WATER CRISIS IN AURANGABAD DISTRICT IN BIHAR

## †2472. SHRI ABHAY KUMAR SINHA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  severe  water  crisis  in  Aurangabad,  Bihar, during the summer months, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of measures taken by the Government to ensure access to safe and clean drinking water, considering the frequency and impact of floods in northern Bihar and droughts in southern Bihar;
- (c) the current status of the projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Aurangabad district, and the number of villages covered under this scheme so far; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government for the rejuvenation of water bodies and promotion of  rain  water  harvesting,  particularly  in  strengthening  water  management  in  drought-prone southern Bihar and flood-prone northern Bihar?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As reported by the state government of Bihar, there is as such no severe water crisis in rural areas of Aurangabad. However, during peak of summer season, there are few pockets which face some water crisis  because  of  seasonal  drawdown  and  low  water  yield  in  some borewell. But with the provision of tap water supply available to every rural household in the district, this has also been addressed.
- (b) Since August, 2019, Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), in partnership with States/ UTs, to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country, including those in flood-affected and drought-prone areas. As informed by state government  of  Bihar,  alternate  arrangement  are  made  for  construction  of  deep  borewell handpumps  every  year  under  disaster  management  scheme  to  mitigate  any  crisis  during summer season.

Furthermore, during the implementation of JJM, emphasis is laid on management of drinking water supply during extreme situations such as floods, heatwaves, etc. States/ UTs have been advised to carefully select the locations of rural water supply infrastructure to have protection from floods, cyclone, landslides, land slips, impact of earthquake; deploy resilient infrastructure; comply with codal provisions issued for earthquake/ flood or cyclone/ landslide prone areas. For disaster prone areas, like coastal areas, flood prone tracts, Himalayan States etc., States have also been advised for raising of platforms for handpumps/ tap connections, ensure their functionality from time to time to work as interim solution in the event of natural disasters.

(c) Drinking Water is a state subject, and hence, the responsibility of planning, approval, implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the JJM, lies with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supports the states by providing technical and financial assistance. The details of individual projects/ schemes for rural water supply projects are not maintained at the Government of India level. As reported by state government of Bihar on JJM-IMIS, in Aurangabad district of Bihar, as on 15.08.2019, only 1,014 (0.25%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. Since then, 3,80,557 additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections in the district.  Thus,  as  on  10.03.2025,  out  of  3,98,372  rural  households  in  the  district,  3,81,571 (95.78%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes. Out of 1,721 villages in district, 1,398 villages are reported Har Ghar Jal villages by state on JJM IMIS.

(d) As informed by state government of Bihar, various measures are undertaken with the support of other departments to improve water resources, water conservation, green cover and reduce ill effects of climate change thus strengthening water management in state. Some of these measures include:

- i.) Rejuvenation of water storage structures like ponds, Ahar-pyne, wells and construction of soak pits.
- ii.) Construction  of  check  dams,  garland  trench  and  new  water  conservation  and harvesting structures.
- iii.) Construction of roof-top rainwater harvesting structures in government buildings.
- iv.) Transfer of water from water surplus areas to water deficit areas.
- v.) Use of alternative farming methods like organic farming, sprinkler, drip irrigation etc. to minimize consumption of groundwater.

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