Lok Sabha Question No. 2069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Review of Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Janardan Mishra, Sunil Baburao Mendhe, Shankar Lalwani, Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal, Bholanath (B.P. Saroj), Nayab Singh, Prathap Simha, Pradeep Kumar Singh

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2069

ANSWERED ON 14.12.2023

## REVIEW OF JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN

| 2069.   | SHRIKUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL   | SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA SHRISHANKAR LALWANI   |
|---------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|         | SHRI SUNIL BABURAO MENDHE             |                                            |
|         | DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL       | SHRI BHOLANATH 'B.P. SAROJ'                |
|         | SHRINAYAB SINGH                       | SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA                         |
|         | SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH              |                                            |

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether his Ministry has designated teams to review the implementation of Jal Shakti Abhiyan;
- (b) if so, the number of review meetings held since 2019; and
- (c) the number of visits made by the teams to various States since 2019?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) to (c) Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) was started in 2019,  covering 1592 blocks out of 2836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts. JSA could not be implemented in 2020 due to restrictions imposed by Covid 19 pandemic and Ministry of Jal Shakti implemented 'Catch the Rain' (CTR) campaign. Ever since it was launched as "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain" Campaign in 2021, it has been implemented  every year ie in 2021, 2022, 2023, covering all rural blocks all urban areas in all districts.

During the implementation of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) , the Government of India (GoI) constituted teams  consisted  of  Central  Nodal  Officers  (CNOs)  of  the  rank  of  Additional  Secretary/Joint  Secretary/ Director / Deputy Secretary and Technical Officers (TOs) from the Central Ground Water Board and the Central Water Commission for field visits to review and monitor the implementation of JSA and to render technical  advice  for  its  implementation.  These  teams  so  constituted  by  the  GoI  were  requested  to  make field visits under JSA: CTR campaign during the years 2019, 2022 and 2023.

As per the information available on JSA: CTR portal (jsactr.mowr.gov.in), the number of visits made by the team to different states since 2019:

- a. Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India. Under JSA-2019, a total of 706 visits were made by central teams in the 1592

water stressed blocks of 256 districts of India. 256 CNOs, 446 Block Nodal Officers (BNOs) and 446 TOs were alloted for the purpose.

- b. A total of 527 numbers of districts have been visited by the Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) along with Technical Officers(TOs), nominated for JSA:CTR - 2022, for review and implementation of JSA:CTR-2022 from 29.03.2022 to 03.03.2023.
- c. A total of 121 numbers  of districts against 150 identified Water Stress District (WSDs) have been visited  by  the  Central  Nodal  Officers  (CNOs)  along  with  Technical  Officers,  nominated  under JSA:CTR-2023,  for review and implementation of JSA:CTR  -2023  from 04.03.2023 to 08.12.2023.

In so far as review meetings are concerned, Ministry of Jal Shakti has been conducting review meetings for  implementation  of  JSA:  CTR  with  Central  Departments/  Ministries  and  with  State  Governments  on regular basis.  In 2021, though visits were not undertaken, Video conferences or virtual meetings were held with all District Magistrates, State Nodal Officers. Regarding meetings with CNOs and TOs, Ministry of Jal Shakti had organized Workshop-cum-Orientation Programmes for CNOs and TOs for sensitization of these teams and in order to review the implementation of JSA:CTR.

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