Lok Sabha Question No. 752 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-07
Subject: Water Shortage
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 752

## ANSWERED ON 07.12.2023

## WATER SHORTAGE

## 752. SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the manner in which the Government intend to address the varied degrees of moderate to severe water shortages in 11 main States, as indicated by the water poverty index;

(b)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  water  quality  given  India's  rating  of  120  out  of  122 nations on the water quality index;

(c)  the  details  of  the  policies  that  are  being  considered  to  address  the  critical  need  for  effective  water management, considering both quantity and quality of available water resources; and

(d) the policies undertaken by the Government to respond to each State's specific water scarcity issues?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) 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 programs.

Cognizant to the situation of water scarcity in the country, 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  expand  cultivable  area  under  assured  irrigation,  improve  on-farm  water  use  efficiency,  introduce sustainable  water  conservation  practices,  etc.  PMKSY  is  an  umbrella  scheme,  consisting  of  two  major components  being  implemented  by  the  Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, namely, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP). HKKP, in turn, consists of four sub-components: (i) Command Area Development &  Water  Management  (CAD&WM);  (ii)  Surface  Minor  Irrigation  (SMI);  (iii)  Repair,  Renovation  and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies; and (iv) Ground Water (GW) Development

Government of India, in partnership with State, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of tap water supply with adequate focus on the quality of tap water to every rural household of the country by 2024.

Atal Bhujal Yojana, a World Bank aided Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India with an outlay of Rs 6000 crore, is being implemented with a focus on community participation and demand side interventions  for  sustainable  groundwater  management  in  identified  water  stressed  areas.  The  scheme  is being taken up in seven states, viz. Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Various  important  steps  taken  by  the  Central  Government  to  address  the   water  shortages  and sustainable ground water management in the country can be seen at

## https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2023/02/2023021742.pdf

(b) CGWB generates ground water quality data on a regional scale during various scientific studies and ground  water  quality  monitoring  throughout  the  country.  Also,  under  the  National  Aquifer  Mapping  and Management Programme (NAQUIM), special attention has been given to various bio-chemical aspects of ground  water  quality  including  contamination  by  toxic  substances  such  as  Arsenic,  Fluoride  Iron  etc.  in ground  water.  Also,  the  exploratory  wells  constructed  by  CGWB  which  are  free  from  contaminants  are handed over to State Agencies for water supply. Further, Central Water Commission is also monitoring 782 river sites and 82 water bodies for various bio-chemical aspects of surface water quality monitoring purpose across various states of the country.

(c) & (d) The various policies/guidelines to address the effective water management are;

National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the  availability  of  water  through  direct  use  of  rainfall.  It  also  inter-alia,  advocates  conservation  of  river, water bodies and related infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner by ensuring community participation. Further, encroachment and diversion of water bodies and drainage channels must not be allowed and wherever, it has taken place, it should be restored to the extent feasible and maintained properly.

Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for regulation of its development, which also includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 21 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation.

Model Building  Bye  Laws  (MBBL)  2016  circulated  by  the  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs include provisions for Rainwater Harvesting and it has been shared with all the States / UTs for the urban local bodies to adopt the same and ensure strict adherence to this bye-law.

Central  Ground  Water  Authority (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  under  Section  3(3) of the "Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986"  for  the  purpose  of  regulation  and  control  of  ground  water development  and  management  in  the  Country.  CGWA  has  advised  States/UTs  to  take  measures  to promote/adopt  artificial  recharge  to  ground  water/  rain  water  harvesting.  CGWA  grants  No  Objection Certificates (NOCs) for ground water abstraction to Industries, Infrastructure units and Mining projects in feasible  areas  in  certain  States/UTs  where  regulation  is  not  being  done  by  the  respective  State/UTs.  The latest  guidelines  for  control  and  regulation  of  groundwater  extraction  with  pan-India  applicability  was notified by the Ministry on 24th September 2020.

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