Lok Sabha Question No. 551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: Depleting Groundwater Level in Jhansi District
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Anurag Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 551

ANSWERED ON 28.11.2024

## DEPLETING GROUNDWATER LEVEL IN JHANSI DISTRICT

## 551. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a)  the  details  of  the  measures  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  including  community engagement strategies, conservation efforts and monitoring mechanism under the Atal Bhujal Yojana in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh keeping in view the challeneges faced due to depleting groundwater in the Bundelkhand region including Jhansi district; (b) the impact of the measures taken regarding the groundwater table and water management practices in the said region; and (c) the details of the budget allocation and utilisation under the said Yojana in Uttar Pradesh with an emphasis on Bundelkhand?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

- (a) The following measures are taken under Atal Bhujal Yojana in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh:
- i. In  Jhansi  district,  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  is  being  implemented  in 31  water-stressed  Gram Panchayats ( GPs ) of Mauranipur (16 GPs) and Babina block (15 GPs).
- ii. To monitor the Ground water scenario, a piezometer equipped with a Digital Water Level Recorder ( DWLR ) have been installed in all the above selected 31 GPs under Atal Bhujal Yojana.
- iii. GP-level trainings have been conducted in the aforementioned 31 GPs to raise awareness among citizens about groundwater conservation and sustainable management. Trainings also impart the required know-how of water conservation and water saving through demand side management of groundwater that can be done at community level. In the past four years, Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  has  successfully  organized  369  GP-level  trainings,  13  block-level trainings,  and  4  district-level  trainings  in  Jhansi.  Conducting  trainings  is  a  continuous activity  under  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  for  building  the  capacity  of  all  stakeholders  with diversified objectives.
- iv. Additionally, Atal Jal Shakti Yatra and Jal Kosh Yatra were organized during the year 2023 & 2024 to raise awareness and promote water conservation initiatives throughout the region. Also,  a  digital  Bhujal  Rath  campaign  was  organized  in  all  Atal  Jal  GPs in  the  year  2022 depicting audio & visual messages for water conservation, in addition to various other IEC activities.
- v. A total of 1,688 hectares (as on March 2024) across the 31 GPs have been brought under efficient  water  use  practices,  including  micro-irrigation,  underground pipeline installation, mulching, and crop diversification, as part of the Atal Bhujal Yojana.
- vi. Water conservation works, which include construction of new ponds,  rejuvenation of old ponds, check-dams, gully plugs, roof top rainwater harvesting structures, farm ponds, soak pits, blast wells, contour trenches, nala development, micro irrigation etc. amounting to Rs. 9.48 crore (as on March 2024) have been completed in Atal Bhujal Yojana's GPs of Jhansi district through convergence of various State and Central Government schemes.
- (b) As per the observed trend of groundwater levels over the last five years, district Jhansi has shown gradual improvement in groundwater level, as a result of various factors including measures taken for participatory water management under Atal Bhujal Yojana.
- (c) The Atal Bhujal Yojana has two components, viz. (i) Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building (IS&CB) Component, aimed at strengthening the groundwater governance mechanism in the participating  States,  and  (ii)  Incentive  Component,  aimed  at  rewarding/incentivizing  the  States  for various  measures  aimed  at  ensuring  the  long-term  sustainability  of  groundwater  resources.  Tentative allocation, amount released and expenditure so far (as on 21.11.2024) under the Atal Bhujal Yojana for the State of Uttar Pradesh is as below:

(all figures in Rs. Crore)

| Total Tentative Allocation during the Scheme   | Total Tentative Allocation during the Scheme   | Total Tentative Allocation during the Scheme   | Amount released so far   | Amount released so far   | Amount released so far   | Expenditure so far   | Expenditure so far   | Expenditure so far   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
| IS&CB                                          | Incentive                                      | Total                                          | IS&CB                    | Incentive                | Total                    | IS&CB                | Incentive            | Total                |
| 119.28                                         | 609.96                                         | 729.24                                         | 47.59                    | 150.94                   | 198.53                   | 47.56                | 109.16               | 156.72               |

For the Bundelkhand region (i.e. 6 districts viz. Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Mahoba),  an  incentive  fund  of  Rs.  98.92  Cr  have  been  allocated  under  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  and  an expenditure of Rs. 69.98 Cr has been incurred, till date.

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