Lok Sabha Question No. 2391 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-06
Subject: Underground Water for Irrigation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Roopkumari Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2391

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  AUGUST, 2024

## UNDERGROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION

2391.  SMT. ROOPKUMARI CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a)    whether    the    farmers    are    facing    difficulties    in    agriculture    due    to    the    nonavailability  of underground  water  for  irrigation  in  Basna  and  Saraipali  development blocks    and    Deobhog  development  block  of  Gariyaband  district  of  Mahasamund  Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b)    whether    any    survey    or    assessment    of    the    project    has    been    made    in    the interests  of farmers in the said areas;
- (c)  if  so,  whether  any  scheme  has  been  currently  formulated  on  the  basis  of  the  said survey; and
- (d)  if  not,  the  details  thereof  alongwith  the  manner in  which  the  said  work is  likely to be carried out through a scheme or agency?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (d): Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  of  the  Country  are  being  annually assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board and State Governments. As per the latest (2023) assessment, the Ground  Water Resources for Basna and Saraipali development blocks of Mahasamund District and Deobhog development block of Gariyaband district are as under :-

|   S. No. | Ground Water Resources Assessment                                                                | Basna Block   | Saraipall Block   | Deobhog Block   |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|        1 | Annual Ground Water Recharge (Million Cubic Meters)                                              | 107.62        | 86.69             | 32.40           |
|        2 | Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (Million Cubic Meters)                                  | 96.86         | 81.58             | 30.78           |
|        3 | Annual Ground Water Extraction for Irrigation, Domestic & Industrial uses (Million Cubic Meters) | 83.51         | 41.70             | 13.72           |
|        4 | Annual Ground Water Extraction for Irrigation (Million Cubic Meters)                             | 78.93         | 35.97             | 11.10           |
|        5 | Stage of Ground Water Extraction (%)                                                             | 86.2          | 51.1              | 44.6            |
|        6 | Categorization of Assessment Unit                                                                | Semi-Critical | Safe              | Safe            |

The  data  reveals  that  the  stage  of  groundwater  extraction  in  Basna  is  86.2%, categorizing it as semi-critical. In Saraipali, the stage of groundwater extraction is 51.1%, and it is categorized as safe. Similarly, Deobhog has a stage of groundwater extraction of 44.6% and is also categorized as safe.

National  Aquifer  Mapping  is  a  major  component  of  Groundwater  Management  & Regulation  Scheme  which  is  an  on-going  central  scheme.  National  Aquifer  Mapping Studies have been carried out in the blocks of Basna, Saraipali and Deobhog. Based on these  studies,  groundwater  management  plans  have  been  prepared  and  reports  have been shared with  State  and  District  Authorities  for  implementation. Water  being  a  State subject, the aspects related to water resources are studied, planned, funded and executed by the State Governments themselves as per their own resources and priorities. Role of Government of India is limited to being catalytic, providing technical support and, in some cases partial financial assistance in terms of the existing schemes.

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