Lok Sabha Question No. 1481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-13
Subject: Artificial Recharge Structures under JSA:CTR
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Anurag Singh Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1481

ANSWERED ON 13.02.2025

## ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE STRUCTURES UNDER JSA:CTR

## 1481. SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the specific strategies implemented/being implemented by the Government to ensure effective inter-sectoral convergence  among  Ministries  for  constructing  artificial  recharge  structures  under  the  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan: Catch The Rain (JSA:CTR) initiative;

(b)  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  planning  to  engage  local  communities  in  implementing  the  said initiative  to  promote  sustainable  water  management  practices  and  ensure  long-term  maintenance  of  recharge structures;

(c) the measures undertaken/being undertaken by the Government to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of artificial recharge structures in improving groundwater levels along with the way in which these findings are integrated into future planning;

(d)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  train  local  authorities  and  stakeholders  for  effective implementation and awareness generation under the campaign; and

(e) the details of specific provisions for leveraging technology such as GIS mapping and IoT-based monitoring to enhance the impact of artificial recharge structures?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) Water is a State subject and the Central Government supplements the efforts of States/UTs through technical and financial assistance including creation of artificial recharge structures. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch  the  Rain  (JSA:  CTR)  campaign  is  a  nationwide  initiative  implemented  annually  from  March  to November,  focusing  on  water  conservation,  rainwater  harvesting  and  groundwater  recharge.  The  campaign emphasizes convergent financing and active community participation to ensure maximum impact. To achieve effective  inter-sectoral  convergence  among  Ministries  for  constructing  artificial  recharge  structures,  the Government has implemented a multi-pronged strategy that leverages collaboration, resource optimization and institutional coordination. A key component of this strategy is convergent resource mobilization, where funds from multiple flagship schemes are pooled to enhance synergy and maximize impact. These schemes include the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Atal  Mission  for Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT),  Per  Drop  More  Crop  (a  component  of  Pradhan  Mantri

Krishi Sinchayi Yojana - PMKSY) and the 15th Finance Commission Grants, among others. This ensures that financial and technical resources from various ministries are effectively utilized for water conservation efforts.

Expanding on this vision, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative was launched on September 6, 2024, in Surat, Gujarat, in the virtual presence of the Hon'ble Prime Minister. JSJB aims to create one million low-cost  recharge  structures  across  urban  and  rural  India,  using  a  combination  of  scientific  technology  and traditional  methods.  The  initiative  promotes  active  participation  and  sustainable  water  management  by involving local communities, industries, NGOs and government bodies. It's a public-private partnership model which  draws  funding  from  not  only  government  schemes  but  also  from  mobilization  of  private  finance  like Industry  -  Corporate  Social  Responsibility  (CSR),  Philanthropy,  individual  donors,  crowdfunding  etc  for people's  participation,  ownership  and  sustainability.  The  states  of  Gujarat,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Rajasthan  and Bihar along with philanthropists and corporate entities have pledged their support to this initiative, ensuring a collaborative  approach  to  addressing  water  security.  Inspired  by  the  success  of  this  initiative  under,  the Government  of  Rajasthan  has  launched  the  "Karmabhumi  se  Matrabhumi"  scheme,  encouraging  people  to contribute to water conservation in their native regions.

To institutionalize coordination, Central Ministries Nodal Officers (CMNOs) have been nominated in each  partner  Ministry/Department  to  facilitate  sustained  inter-ministerial  collaboration.  Regular  high-level meetings are convened to align priorities and enhance convergence. These include Secretary-level and meetings chaired by the Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Water Mission, to monitor implementation progress  and  ensure  structured  engagement  across  ministries.   Additionally,  the  Government  has  encouraged Ministries  to  mainstream  water  conservation  efforts  within  their  respective  programmes,  ensuring  that  water security remains a cross-sectoral priority. Best practices and successful models from different sectors are shared to promote cross-learning and innovation in the implementation of artificial recharge structures. This whole-ofgovernment approach ensures that JSA: CTR delivers sustainable and impactful water management solutions, reinforcing the nation's commitment to groundwater recharge and long-term water security.

Apart from above, Technical officers from Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and Central Water Commission  (CWC)  are  assigned  to  each  district  and  municipal  corporation  to  provide  guidance,  with  four dedicated CGWB officers stationed at National Water Mission (NWM) to support States, Ministries, Industries and  NGOs  in  implementation.  Additionally,  Frequently  Asked  Questions  (FAQs)  and  technical  advisory documents have been prepared by CGWB in collaboration with NWM and widely disseminated through the JSA:  CTR  portal  to  assist  stakeholders  at  all  levels.  Information,  Education,  and  Communication  (IEC) activities have also been undertaken to spread awareness about the initiative.

(c)  The  Government  has  undertaken  several  measures  to  monitor  and  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  water conservation  structures  including  artificial  recharge  structures  under  JSA:  CTR  campaign  in  improving groundwater levels. Central Teams are deputed to conduct field visits to districts for direct interaction with local authorities on the implementation of the JSA: CTR campaign. These teams comprise Central Nodal Officers of the  rank  of  Additional  Secretary/Joint  Secretary/Director/Deputy  Secretary  and  Technical  Officers  from  key

water-related organizations such as the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The field visits facilitate on-ground assessments of water conservation activities, including artificial recharge structures and also provide technical assistance.

To ensure continuous monitoring and evaluation of the campaign, a JSA: CTR portal (jsactr.mowr.gov.in)  has  been  developed  as  a  central  platform  for  data  collection  and  analysis.  The  portal enables  regular  tracking  of  water  conservation  efforts  including  artificial  recharge  structures.  The  insights obtained from field visits and data monitoring through the JSA: CTR portal are crucial in refining strategies for future  water  conservation  efforts.  Similarly,  the Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari  Dashboard,  a  digital  platform  is provided  to  stakeholders  to  onboard  each  constructed  recharge  structure  with  photograph,  geo  tag  and  other details.  To  strengthen  monitoring,  Nodal  Officers  from  the   (CGWB)  and  the  Central  Water  Commission (CWC), in  collaboration  with  District  Nodal  Officers,  oversee  implementation,  ensuring  timely  updates  and verification  of  data.  These  Nodal  Officers  have  been  entrusted  with  the  task  of  test  checking  1%  recharge structures  to  ensure  the  data  authenticity  &  also  for  capacity  building/training  of  the  concerned  Districts/ Corporations/ Nodal Officers. A dedicated cell is established in the National Water Mission for supporting & monitoring  the  activities  of  field  officers  of  CWC/CGWB  &  Districts/Corporations.  CWC  and  CGWB  are entrusted to provide technical assistance for creation/renovation of artificial recharge structures.

Additionally,  the  dynamic  groundwater  resources  of  India  undergo  annual  assessment  through  a collaborative  effort  involving  State  Governments  and  CGWB.  These  periodic  assessments  provide  critical insights into groundwater replenishment, utilization trends and overall availability, aiding in informed decisionmaking  for  water  resource  management.  District  and  State-level  review  mechanisms,  along  with  capacitybuilding initiatives, ensure continuous monitoring and long-term sustainability. The Ground Water Resources Assessment by CGWB shows a significant rise in groundwater recharge due to sustained conservation efforts. Recharge  from  tanks,  ponds  and  water  conservation  structures  increased  from  13.98  Billion  Cubic  Meters (BCM) in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024, reflecting the success of water conservation. While these gains highlight effective interventions by both State and Central Governments, groundwater level improvements are influenced by multiple factors, including rainfall and strategic water management practices.

(d) Under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) all the States/UTs have been requested to set up Jal Shakti Kendras (JSKs) in all the districts of the country. JSKs have been established in 705 districts across the country.  As  knowledge  centers,  JSKs  disseminate  information  on  critical  topics  such  as  water  conservation methods, water use efficiency, groundwater policies, efficient irrigation techniques, water quality and greywater management. They also serve as technical guidance centers, offering advice and support to local communities on these matters. Apart from above, from 2019 to date, 1,69,699 training programmes/kisan melas have been organised under JSA: CTR campaign. Additionally, NWM collaborated with concerned Ministries for broadcast of  'Just  Junior'  series  on  television,  promotion  of  'Mission  LiFE',  etc.  NWM  has  also  conducted  58  Water Talks,  46  Dialogues  with  Districts  Magistrates  and  various  other  workshops/seminars  to  spread  awareness

among public. Ministry of Jal Shakti collaborated with Ministry of Railways for vinyl wrapping of two of our nation's most iconic trains i.e. the Himsagar Express and the Kamakhya Express. These trains carried a vital message of water conservation, awareness, and community engagement.

Also, the Information Education Communication activities are undertaken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to disseminate the message of water conservation among the people. The social media team of the Department regularly creates informative posts regarding the water conservation and highlights the programmes/schemes of the Ministry on social media handles of the Department. Further, press release on important events of Ministry is also shared regularly with Press Information Bureau (PIB).

(e) Under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign, implemented by the National Water Mission,  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti,  technology  is  being  leveraged  to  enhance  the  impact  of  artificial  recharge structures. One of the key interventions under JSA: CTR is the enumeration, geo-tagging and inventorization of water  bodies  to  facilitate  the  preparation  of  scientific  water  conservation  plans.  District  Magistrates  and Collectors have been requested to enumerate water bodies using old revenue records, remote sensing data from the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technology to mark boundaries, geo-tag structures and integrate data from the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC) and  State  Water  Resources  Information  Systems.  This  approach  enables  the  development  of  data-driven scientific  conservation  plans.  As  per  the  JSA:  CTR  portal  (jsactr.mowr.gov.in),  619  districts  have  already prepared  such  plans.  Additionally,  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  implemented  the  National Aquifer  Mapping  (NAQUIM)  programme  under  the  Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation  scheme, utilizing  GIS  technology  to  map  approximately  25  lakh  square  km  of  aquifers.  These  maps  provide hydrogeological insights essential for groundwater recharge and sustainable water management.

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