Lok Sabha Question No. 3485 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Check Dams in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: S. Ramalingam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3485

ANSWERED ON-10/08/2023

## Check Dams in Tamil Nadu

## 3485. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Union Government has accepted the proposal sent by Tamil Nadu seeking special funding assistance of Rs. 2400 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to construct check dams in five places across Cauvery, Kollidam and Vennar rivers to ensure sustainability of combined water supply projects and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the funds allocated and released to Tamil Nadu under JJM during the last five years;
- (c) whether the Union Government has taken any steps on such proposal of the State to upgrade the existing combined water supply projects with machines to ensure automation and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to prevent excess water from Cauvery and Kollidam rivers flowing into the sea by storing the water in nearby lakes and ponds; and
- (e)  whether  the  Union  Government  has  given  extension  of  two  years  as  requested  by  the Government of Tamil Nadu to complete JJM Projects and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) Government of India, in partnership with States/UTs including Tamil Nadu is implementing Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  since  August,  2019,  to  make  provision  of  tap  water  supply  to  every  rural household in the country by 2024. Drinking water supply is a State subject. Power to plan, design, approve, implement, operate and maintain water supply schemes is vested with States, including Tamil Nadu. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial  assistance.  As  per  operational  guidelines  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  State  Level  Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC), headed by Chief Secretary/ Addl. Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary in-charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE)/ Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department,  approves  the  schemes/  projects  being  taken  up  under  JJM.  As  such  details  of individual rural water supply projects, including check dams, are not maintained centrally. No such proposal, as referred to in the question, is under consideration

(b) The year-wise details of funds allocated, released, and utilized by Tamil Nadu under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) are as under:

(Amount in Rs. Crore)

|          | Central share   | Central share     | Central share           | Central share        | Central share        |                               |
|----------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| Year     | Opening Balance | Budget allocation | Fund drawn by the State | Total available fund | Reported utilization | Expenditure under State share |
| 2019-20  | 1.49            | 373.87            | 373.10                  | 378.67               | 114.58               | 99.14                         |
| 2020-21  | 264.09          | 921.99            | 690.36                  | 954.45               | 576.97               | 399.57                        |
| 2021-22  | 377.48          | 3,691.21          | 614.35                  | 998.83               | 457.55               | 496.23                        |
| 2022-23  | 534.29          | 4,015.00          | 872.96                  | 1407.25              | 594.64               | 665.28                        |
| 2023-24* | 812.60          | 3,615.56          | ND                      | 812.60               | 415.66               | 418.94                        |

ND: Not Drawn

(c) and (d) The water sources which inter alia include groundwater (open well, borewell, tube well, handpumps, etc.), surface water (river, reservoir, lake, pond, springs, etc.) and rain water stored in small tanks are being used as sources for drinking water supply schemes. Under JJM, provisions  have  been  made  for  development/  strengthening/  augmentation  of  drinking  water sources; and infrastructure for bulk transfer of water, treatment and distribution systems in water deficit  drought-prone  and  desert  areas  without  dependable  ground  water  sources  apart  from creation of in-village water supply infrastructure.

In  addition,  provisions  for  taking  up  augmentation  and  strengthening  of  local  drinking  water sources  in  convergence  with  other  schemes  at  village  level  viz.  MGNREGS,  15 th Finance Commission tied grants to RLBs/ PRIs, Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), State schemes, District Mineral Development Fund, CSR funds, community contribution, etc. is also  envisaged  under  the  JJM.  Details  of  individual  projects/  schemes  for  rural  water  supply projects including water source for scheme are not maintained at the Government of India level

(e) At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, 3.23 Crore (17%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/UTs as on 08.08.2023, around 9.53 Crore rural households have been provided with tap water connections in last 4 years under JJM. Thus, as on 08.08.2023, out of 19.41 Crore rural households in the country, around 12.76 Crore (65.75%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes and the States have been advised to cover the remaining rural households during the mission period.

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