Lok Sabha Question No. 864 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: Minor Irrigation Schemes in Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Ram Shiromani Verma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 864

ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025

## MINOR IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN UTTAR PRADESH

†864.  SHRI RAM SHIROMANI VERMA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the number of ponds, wells and tube-wells sanctioned under minor irrigation schemes in Uttar Pradesh particularly in Shrawasti and Balrampur districts;

(b) whether micro irrigation (drip/sprinkler) facilities are being provided in these districts under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) and if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  special  initiative  to  promote  water  harvesting  and  rain  water harvesting in these districts, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The Government of India is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) with Har  Khet  Ko  Pani  (HKKP)  as  one  of  its  components  and  the  Ground  Water  (GW)  schemes  have  been incorporated as part of PMKSY-HKKP. A total of 14,752 wells has been constructed under the PMKSYHKKP-GW  scheme  across  Uttar  Pradesh,  including  2,400  wells  in  Balrampur  district.  However,  the PMKSY-HKKP-GW scheme has not been implemented in Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh.

Additionally, under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS programme, a total 2,92,561 farm ponds taken up across the Uttar Pradesh, including 6528 in Balrampur and 1095 in Shravasti district. Furthermore, a total of 89,829 wells has been taken up under the programme, including 1,619 in Balrampur and 219 in Shravasti district.

The Minor Irrigation Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh has also proposed ponds, wells and tube wells in Uttar Pradesh under the 'Mukhymantri Laghu Sinchai Yojna'. The details of sanction ponds, wells and tube wells in Uttar Pradesh including Shravasti and Balarampur district in financial year 2025-26 is given in Annexure.

(b) The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)  of  Per  Drop  More  Crop  (PDMC)  in  the  Country  including  Uttar  Pradesh  from  the  year  2015-16. During  2015-16  to  2021-22,  PDMC  implemented  as  a  component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee Yojana  (PMKSY).  From  the  year  2022-23,  the  scheme  is  being  implemented  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).

Under the  Per  Drop  More  Crop  (PDMC)  component  a  total  area  of  4,95,542  hectares  has  been  covered under Micro Irrigation across the Uttar Pradesh, including 6,457 hectares in Balrampur district and 3,531 hectares in Shravasti district.

(c) Iinitiatives taken by Government of India to promote water harvesting and rain water harvesting across the country including Shrawasti and Balrampur districts of Uttar Pradesh, are as follows:

1. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has completed the National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of about 25 Lakh sq. km. including Shrawasti and Balrampur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The Aquifer maps and management plans have been prepared and shared with the respective State agencies for implementation. From supply side, the proposed interventions are  constructions of Artificial Recharge structures, on farm Water Management Scheme, Revival and  renovation  of  ponds,  Construction  of  embankments  along  the  course  of  Rapti  river  and adopting  water  use  efficiency  practices.  Additionally,  CGWB,  also  conducts  Public  Interaction Programme under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav including Shravasti and Balrampur district aimed to creating  awareness  and  sensitizing  local  communities  on  critical  issues  related  to  ground  water depletion, sustainable water conservation practices and region-specific ground water challenges.
2. CGWB has prepared a Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. In Shrawasti and Balrampur districts of Uttar Pradesh, roof-top rain water harvesting has been suggested for the urban area in which 0.0084 sq. km  &  0.0688  sq.  km  area  respectively  has  been  has  been  considered  as  Roof  Top  rain  water harvesting.  DPR  has  to  be  prepared  by  the  concerned  line  department  of  the  respective  State Government  at  an  implementable  level  like  any  other  water  supply  project  or  city  development project. Implementation  has  to be done  through  existing schemes  of  the respective State Government only and no separate scheme/fund has been envisaged for implementation. The Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater2020 circulated to all the States/UTs for implementation.
3. National Water Policy (2012) formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia, advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. It also advocates that conservation of river, river  bodies  and  infrastructure  should  be  undertaken  in  a  scientifically  planned  manner  through community  participation.  Further,  encroachment  and  diversion  of  water  bodies  and  drainage channels must not be allowed and wherever, it has taken place, it should be restored to the extent feasible and maintained properly.
4. Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water  legislation  for  regulation  of  its  development,  which  also  includes  provision  of  rain  water

harvesting.  So  far,  21  States/UTs  including  Uttar  Pradesh  have  adopted  and  implemented  the ground water legislation. Need for mandatory RWH is emphasized in all the high-level meetings with States/ UTs, taken by Secretary, DoWR/ Chairman, CGWB.

5. DoWR,  MoJS  has  issued  advisory  dated  31.03.2023  to  Chief  Secretaries/  Administrators  of  all States/UTs regarding implementation of RWH and AR along with SOP and Dos and Don'ts. BIS document on standards  for  RWH  has  also  been  included  in  the  advisory.  CGWA  forwarded  the advisory to all SGWAs and concerned State Principal Secretaries.
6. Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  has  circulated  Model  Building  Bye-laws,  2016  which recommends Rainwater Harvesting for all types of Building with plot size 100 sq.m or more. So far, 35 States/UTs including Uttar Pradesh have incorporated the provisions in their respective building bye laws.
7. The  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  launched  the  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  2019  as  a  time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign in 256 water-stressed districts. To sustain these efforts, the National Water Mission initiated the Catch the Rain (CTR) campaign in 2020, which was later subsumed into Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) in 2021, expanding coverage to all districts,  blocks  and  municipalities  across  India.   Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  the  Rain,  a  flagship campaign of the National Water Mission, involves inter-sectoral convergence of all development programmes like MGNREGS; AMRUT; Repair, Renovation and Restoration Scheme; Water Shed Development  Scheme;  Per  Drop  More  Crop  etc.  Furthermore,  Jal  Shakti  Kendra's  (JSKs)  have been established across districts, serving as dedicated resource and knowledge canters to provide technical  guidance  to  locals  and  support  district  administration  in  implementation  of  rain  water harvesting  systems.  In  addition,  districts  have  formulated  District  Water  Conservation  Plans  to ensure sustainable water management in their respective districts.
8. To further strengthen JSA: CTR, The "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari" (JSJB) initiative, launched in Surat,  Gujarat  on  6th  September  2024,  under  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  the  Rain  (JSA:  CTR) campaign focuses on intensifying community mobilization to build low-cost rainwater harvesting structures  in  saturation  mode.  Under  the  JSA:CTR  and  JSJB  works  on  871  water  bodies  of Balrampur and 675 of Shravasti has been taken up.
9. As  per  schedule  I  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  Section  4(3),  Para  4(1),  I.  Category:  A:  Public works  relating  to  Natural  Resources  Management:  Water  Conservation  and  water  harvesting structure to augment and improve ground water like under ground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structure in Government or Panchayat building with special focus on recharging ground water including drinking water source are permissible.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARREED QUESTION NO. 864 TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  24.07.2025  REGARDING  'MINOR  IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN UTTAR PRADESH'

Details of sanction ponds, wells and tube wells in Uttar Pradesh including Shravasti and Balarampur district in financial year 2025-26 under 'Mukhymantri Laghu Sinchai Yojna'.

|   S. No. | Schemes                |   Uttar Pradesh | Shravasti   | Balrampur   |
|----------|------------------------|-----------------|-------------|-------------|
|        1 | Shallow Tube Wells     |          198273 | 2975        | 4400        |
|        2 | Medium deep tube wells |            9345 | 12          | 0           |
|        3 | Deep tube wells        |            4282 | 12          | 2           |
|        4 | Pond                   |             204 | -           | -           |
|        5 | Blast Wells            |            1178 | -           | -           |

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