Lok Sabha Question No. 3211 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-21
Subject: Revival of Ancient Sources of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3211 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2023

## Revival of Ancient Sources of Water

## †3211. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to provide drinking water facilities to all the people in the country;

(b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  formulate  any  action  plan  for  the  revival  of  ancient sources of drinking water to deal with the serious crisis of drinking water;

(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise, particularly in Maharashtra;

(d) the details of dams which have been included in the said scheme as major sources of drinking water in rural/urban areas of  Maharashtra,  particularly  in  Ramtek-Nagpur  Parliamentary Constituency; and

(e) the time by which the target of supplying water to the respective dams would be achieved along with name of the schemes?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a) to (e) Government of India is committed to make provision for safe & potable tap water supply in  adequate  quantity,  of  prescribed  quality  and  on  a  regular  &  long-term  basis  to  all  rural households in the country. Towards this end, the Government of India launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), to be implemented in partnership with states including Maharashtra, in August 2019.  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 Jal Jeevan Mission, lies with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supports the States by providing technical and financial assistance.

Significant progress has been made in the country since the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, towards enhancing access to tap water to rural households. At the start of Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019, only 3.23 Crore (16.8%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 19.12.2023, around 10.62 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on 19.12.2023, out of 19.24

Crore rural households in the country, approximately 13.85 Crore (72%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

The  water  sources  which inter  alia include  groundwater  (open  well,  borewell,  tube  well, handpumps, etc.), surface water (river, reservoir, lake, pond, springs, etc.) and rainwater 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.

The  details  of  dams  used  as  sources  for  providing  drinking  water  under  JJM  in  the  state  of Maharashtra is not maintained by this department.

****