Lok Sabha Question No. 3657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Water Insecurity
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## 3657.   SHRI T.R. BAALU

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that India could be a global hotspot of water insecurity by 2050;

(b) if so, the corrective steps proposed to be taken by the Government keeping in view the fact that nearly 600 million people (close to half the population) living in our country are facing high to extreme water stress;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  initiatives  to  revamp  irrigation  channels,  encourage  deploying water-efficient technologies and improve water management in irrigation command areas by involving water users in its distribution; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) As per the National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) Report1999, water requirement of the country for High Demand scenario and Low Demand scenario for the year 2050 are 1,180 billion cubic meter's (BCM) and 973 BCM respectively. As per study titled 'Reassessment of Water  Availability  in  India  using  Space  Inputs,  2019'  conducted  by  Central  Water  Commission  in collaboration with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the average annual water resources availability in the country is assessed at 1,999.20 BCM.

(b) to (d) Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts  of  the  State  Governments,  Union  Government  provides  technical  and  financial  assistance  to  them through various schemes and programmes.

The  Government  of  India  formulated  a  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  of  interlinking  of  rivers  for transferring water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas in 1980. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component and 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports/ Detailed Project Reports under Inter-linking of Rivers Project. However, river interlinking projects are largely dependent on consensus on water sharing between participating States.

National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM) is being implemented by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) as part of Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWM&R) Scheme, a central sector scheme. NAQUIM  envisages  mapping  of  aquifers  (water bearing formations), their characterization  and  development  of  Aquifer  Management  Plans  to  facilitate  sustainable  management  of ground  water  resources  in  the  country.  NAQUIM  outputs  are  shared  with  States/UTs  for  suitable interventions.

Under PMKSY-HKKP-GW, promotion and adoption of water use efficiency & conservation practices viz. drip/sprinkler, diversification to low water demand crops, promoting on-farm rainwater harvesting etc. is to be encouraged by the State Govt/ Project Authorities to prevent over-exploitation and facilitate recharge to

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3657

## ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023

## WATER INSECURITY

ground  water.  Moreover,  State/UT  Government  are  supposed  to  ensure  that  micro-irrigation  practices  are implemented  in  at  least  30%  of  the  proposed  irrigated  area  in  convergence  with  relevant  scheme(s)  of Central/State/UT Governments.

Ministry of Jal Shakti has sanctioned 13 projects under PMKSY-HKKP-GW scheme since 2019 in 10 States  namely  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Assam,  Gujarat,  Nagaland,  Manipur,  Mizoram,  Tripura,  Tamil  Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Government of India is also implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, a central sector scheme, in 8,774 gram panchayats  of 81 districts  of  seven  States  namely  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh, Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  focus  of  the  scheme  is  on  community  participation  and demand side intervention for sustainable ground water management in identified water stressed areas.

The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2022 as a part of celebration  of  Azadi  Ka  Amrit  Mahotsav  with  an  objective  to  conserve  water  for  future.  The  mission  is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.

Government  of  India,  in  partnership  with  States,  is  implementing  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  to  make provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household of the country at the service level of 55 litre per  capita  per  day  by  2024.  For  ensuring  tap  water  supply  in  drought-prone  and  water-scarce  areas  with inadequate rainfall or dependable groundwater sources, provisions have been made under JJM for bulk water transfer from long distances and regional water supply schemes.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched during the year 2015-16, with an aim to  enhance  physical  access  of  water  on  farm  and  for  expanding  cultivable  area  under  assured  irrigation, improve  on-farm  water  use  efficiency,  introducing  sustainable  water  conservation  practices,  etc.  During 2016-17,  ninety-nine  (99)  on-going  major/  medium  irrigation  projects  in  the  country  having  balance estimated  cost  ofRs.77,595  crore  under  PMKSY-Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefits  Programme  (AIBP)  have been  prioritised,  in  consultation  with  States,  for  completion  in  phases.  The  extension  of  PMKSY  for  the period  2021-22  to2025-26  has  been  approved  by  Government  of  India,  with  an  overall  outlay  of  Rs. 93,068.56 crore.

The  Command  Area  Development  &  Water  Management  (CADWM)Programme  has  been  brought under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) - Har Khet Ko Pani from 2015-16 onwards. The main objective of taking up CAD works is to enhance utilization of irrigation potential created, and improve agriculture production on a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).

Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing "Per Drop More Crop" component of Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana(PMKSY)  which  is  operational  from  2015-16  in  the  India.  The PMKSY-  "Per  Drop  More  Crop"  mainly  focuses  on  water  use  efficiency  at  farm  level  through  micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler irrigation system).

'Sahi  Fasal'  campaign  was  launched  by  National  Water  Mission  (NWM)  on  14.11.2019  to  nudge farmers  in  the  water  stressed  areas  to  grow  crops  which  use  water  very  efficiently,  are  economically remunerative, are healthy and nutritious, suited to the agro-climatic-hydro characteristics of the area, and are environment friendly.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan-I (JSA-I) was conducted in 2019 in 1,592 blocks out of 2,836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts of the country and was expanded as 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' (JSA:CTR) in 2021 with the theme 'Catch the Rain - Where it Falls When it Falls' to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural  as  well  as  urban  areas)  across  the  country.  'Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan:  Catch  the  Rain'  (JSA:CTR) -2022 campaign, the third in the series of JSAs, was launched on 29.03.2022 to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country. Now, JSA: CTR 2023 has been launched by the Hon'ble President of India on 04.03.2023 across the country.

Central  Water  Commission  (CWC)  promotes  Water  Use  Efficiency  Studies  (WUE)  and  Performance Evaluation Studies (PES) of MMI projects in n the States. CWC also promotes the water conservation and water management.