Lok Sabha Question No. 356 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: "Bhu-Neer" Portal
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Ananta Nayak, Shri Manoj Tiwari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *356

ANSWERED ON 19.12.2024

## "BHU-NEER" PORTAL

| *356                                                                                                                                                                          | SHRIANANTA NAYAK                                                                                                                                                              | SHRI MANOJ TIWARI                                                                                                                                                             |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                                                                                          | Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                                                                                          | Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                                                                                          |
| (a) the salient features, aims and objectives of the 'Bhu-Neer' Portal launched by the Central Ground Water Authority for management of groundwater resources;                | (a) the salient features, aims and objectives of the 'Bhu-Neer' Portal launched by the Central Ground Water Authority for management of groundwater resources;                | (a) the salient features, aims and objectives of the 'Bhu-Neer' Portal launched by the Central Ground Water Authority for management of groundwater resources;                |
| (b) the manner in which this portal would facilitate the use of groundwater at industrial and individual levels including creating awareness among the people in the country; | (b) the manner in which this portal would facilitate the use of groundwater at industrial and individual levels including creating awareness among the people in the country; | (b) the manner in which this portal would facilitate the use of groundwater at industrial and individual levels including creating awareness among the people in the country; |
| (c) the way in which the planning and execution process has been structured along with the expected rollout                                                                   | (c) the way in which the planning and execution process has been structured along with the expected rollout                                                                   | (c) the way in which the planning and execution process has been structured along with the expected rollout                                                                   |
| timeline for implementation of the portal in the country including Delhi and other urban regions;                                                                             | timeline for implementation of the portal in the country including Delhi and other urban regions;                                                                             | timeline for implementation of the portal in the country including Delhi and other urban regions;                                                                             |
| (d) the details of the intended outcomes of the initiative and the way in which it would benefit the people in                                                                | (d) the details of the intended outcomes of the initiative and the way in which it would benefit the people in                                                                | (d) the details of the intended outcomes of the initiative and the way in which it would benefit the people in                                                                |
| the country including residents of Delhi;                                                                                                                                     | the country including residents of Delhi;                                                                                                                                     | the country including residents of Delhi;                                                                                                                                     |
| (e) whether the portal integrates real-time data from remote sensing and IoT-based groundwater monitoring                                                                     | (e) whether the portal integrates real-time data from remote sensing and IoT-based groundwater monitoring                                                                     | (e) whether the portal integrates real-time data from remote sensing and IoT-based groundwater monitoring                                                                     |
| (f) the role of local governance institutions, such as panchayats in utilising the portal for sustainable groundwater management; and                                         | (f) the role of local governance institutions, such as panchayats in utilising the portal for sustainable groundwater management; and                                         | (f) the role of local governance institutions, such as panchayats in utilising the portal for sustainable groundwater management; and                                         |
| (g) the manner in which the portal would contribute to groundwater conservation under the Jal Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative? ANSWER                                      | (g) the manner in which the portal would contribute to groundwater conservation under the Jal Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative? ANSWER                                      | (g) the manner in which the portal would contribute to groundwater conservation under the Jal Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative? ANSWER                                      |
| Shakti                                                                                                                                                                        | Shakti                                                                                                                                                                        | Shakti                                                                                                                                                                        |
| SHAKTI                                                                                                                                                                        | SHAKTI                                                                                                                                                                        | SHAKTI                                                                                                                                                                        |
| JAL                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                               |
| OF                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                               |
| THE MINISTER                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                               |

## (SHRI C R PAATIL)

(a) to (g) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (g) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *356  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  19.12.2024  IN  LOK  SABHA  REGARDING  '"BHU-NEER" PORTAL'

(a) "Bhu-Neer", is a new state of the art portal launched by CGWA recently for the purpose of filing and processing online applications for ground water abstraction by various users/project proponents and issuance of NOCs. With regard to the salient features, the Bhu-Neer portal is designed to serve as a one-stop platform for  managing  and  regulating  ground  water  resources,  aimed  at  ensuring  transparency,  efficiency  and sustainability  in  ground  water  usage.  The  portal  is  developed  with  several  user-friendly  features  to  offer streamlined process flow to the project proponents and some of the important ones are:

-  A simplified yet informative interface.
-  Check eligibility feature before filing the application.
-  PAN based single Id system.
-  Online charges calculator for conveying the charges to be paid in advance.
-  Track application history and real time progress updates through SMS & e-mails.
-  Passbook feature to get full information of transactions made by the user in the portal.
-  Query module for one-to-one interaction between the applicants and CGWA officials.
-  NOC with QR code for enhanced security and ease of verification.

(b) Applications  seeking  NOC  for  ground  water  abstraction  can  be  filed  on  the  Bhu-Neer  portal  by different  categories  of  users  like  Industries,  Mining  projects,  Infrastructure  projects  and  Bulk  water suppliers.

Keeping the Ease of Doing Business paradigm in mind, the pages of the portal have been designed to minimize the time and effort for filling the application and to provide all requisite information at one place. It has been specifically ensured that in the Bhu-Neer, the number of modules and fields to be filled in the application are kept to the minimum.

Further, understanding that while ensuring availability of sufficient water to the industries, it is also important  to  maintain  sustainability  of  ground  water  resources,   the  Bhu-Neer  portal  lays  emphasis  on disseminating correct and complete knowledge regarding statutory provisions and the general conditions to be followed by the industries while withdrawing the ground water like installation of water flow meters, recycle  and  reuse  of  extracted  water  for  stipulated  uses,  well  head  protection  measures  for  preventing aquifer contamination etc. all of which are made available through a single window.

With Bhu-Neer portal, not just the business users, but also common people will be able to know the Dos  and  Don'ts  of  ground  water  extraction  related  issues,  thus  making  the  regulatory  framework  more accessible, transparent and robust for all stakeholders.

(c) The Bhu-Neer Portal has already been made live on 30th October 2024 for online filing and processing of fresh and renewal applications of NOC. However CGWA does not regulate GW in the NCT Delhi.

(d) The primary objective and intended outcome of the Bhu-Neer portal is to put in place a smooth and efficient mechanism for regulation of ground water development and management by providing a quick and easy to use platform for filing NOC applications ground water abstraction.

However,  by  making  the  project  proponents  more  aware  and  compliant  of  the  ground  water  regulation provisions, it is expected to usher in more mindful use of ground water leading to sustainability in ground water usage in the country.

(e) At present, the integration of real time data from remote sensing and IoT based groundwater monitoring system has not been incorporated in the Bhu-Neer portal.

(f)  &  (g) As  stated,  the  Bhu-Neer  portal  is  primarily  meant  for  providing  a  web  platform  for  filing, processing and issuing NOCs for ground water abstraction and is not linked to panchayat level ground water management or Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

However,  by  virtue  of  having  a  strengthened  regulatory  framework,  the  portal  may  lead  to substantial ground water conservation as a lateral outcome.

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