Lok Sabha Question No. 319 (STARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Revival of Water Bodies in Kozhikode
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *319

ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023

## REVIVAL OF WATER BODIES IN KOZHIKODE

| *319                                                                                                  | SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN                                                                                    |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                  | Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                  |
| (a) the measures being taken to revive ponds and water bodies in the State of Kerala, particularly in | (a) the measures being taken to revive ponds and water bodies in the State of Kerala, particularly in |
| Kozhikode; and                                                                                        | Kozhikode; and                                                                                        |
| (b) whether any funds have been disbursed for reviving old water bodies such as ponds, rivulets etc.  | (b) whether any funds have been disbursed for reviving old water bodies such as ponds, rivulets etc.  |
| in Kozhikode and if so, the details thereof along with the status of the projects being undertaken?   | in Kozhikode and if so, the details thereof along with the status of the projects being undertaken?   |
| ANSWER                                                                                                | ANSWER                                                                                                |

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (b) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *319 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023 REGARDING 'REVIVAL OF WATER BODIES IN KOZHIKODE'.

(a) & (b) Water being a State subject, the State Governments concerned are mandated to take up revival of ponds, water  bodies, etc. in their respective jurisdiction, as per their priorities, availability of funds, etc.

Government of Kerala has informed that it takes up such works from funds available under State Plan/ Non-Plan  funds,  deposit  fund  from  local  authorities  such  as  panchayat/  municipality,  deposit  fund  from MLA/MPs, and also under Harithakeralam master plans prepared based on  watershed maps of local bodies. The State Government has further reported that since April, 2016, 18  works of renovation of ponds have been completed in Kozhikode district, while one such work is presently ongoing.

Further, 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.  However,  in  recent  past  no  eligible proposal for inclusion under the scheme has been received from Government of Kerala.
2. Focused interventions under Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) 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. An estimated 24,000 traditional water bodies from  Kerala  have  been  rejuvenated  under  JSA,  out  of  which  about  1,472  belong  to  Kozhikode district.   The resources for JSA are inter alia mobilized under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MNREGS)  which  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. During the year 2023-2024, a provision of Rs. 4,297 crore has been made under MNREGS by the State Government, a substantial part of which is earmarked for such works.
3. 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.  Since  its  inception,  762  water  bodies  have  been  created/ rejuvenated in Kerala, out of which 28 belong to Kozikhode district.
4. 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. Out of 55,734 water bodies identified in Kerala in the census report, 6,192 belong to Kozikhode district.
5. 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. Under water supply component of AMRUT, ULBs/State may take up projects related to new/ augmentation/rehabilitation  of  water  supply  system;  rejuvenation  of  water  bodies  for  water  supply and recharge of ground water etc. So far, 5 water bodies rejuvenation projects involving expenditure of  Rs.  5.41  crore  have  been  taken  up  in  the  State  of  Kerala.  However,  none  of  these  belongs  to Kozhikode  district.  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.  So  far,  255 water  body  rejuvenation  projects  worth   Rs.  82.35  crore  from  Kerala  have  been  approved.  Out  of these, 7 water body rejuvenation projects worth  Rs. 2.43 crore belong to Kozhikode district.
6. Desiltation activities have also been  carried out in Kozhikode in Korapuzha river (Poonurpuzha & Manhapuzha),  Mahe  river,  Kuttiady  river,  Chaliyar  and  its  tributaries.   Further,  river  course correction  work  by  dredging  Korapuzha  river  from  railway  bridge  at  chainage  418.32  km  to Korapuzha river mouth in Koyilandy Taluk, and desilting of Kallai river from Kaduppini to Kothi have been taken up.  The State Government has reported that an amount of Rs. 1.82 crore has been spent on the above works in Khozikode district. Further, the estimated cost for ongoing/ tender stage work  of  course  correction  of  Korapuzha  and  Kallai  river  is  Rs.  3.75   crore  and  Rs.  7.9  crore, respectively.

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