Lok Sabha Question No. 1025 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-08
Subject: Extraction of Ground Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1025

ANSWERED ON 08.02.2024

## EXTRACTION OF GROUND WATER

## 1025. SHRIMATI HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  out  of  153  water  blocks  in  Punjab,  90  blocks  would  become economically unviable for extraction of ground water for agriculture production and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government proposes any ground water management programme to deal with the crisis; and (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being regularly assessed jointly by Central Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  and  State  Governments  including  Punjab.  As  per  the  latest  Groundwater Resource  Assessment  (2023),  out  of  total  153  Assessment  Units  (AUs)  in  the  state,  which  are  generally Blocks/Tehsils/Taluks etc.,117 have been categorized as 'Over-exploited' where the Stage of ground water Extraction (SOE) is more than 100%. Further, 03 AUs are in 'Critical 'category, 13 in 'Semi Critical' and 20 are classified as 'Safe'.

Further,  the  comparison  of  2022  Ground  Water  Assessment  of  Punjab  with  2023  reveals  that  the Stage of Ground Water Extraction (SOE) in Punjab, which is a ratio of Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses (irrigation, industrial and domestic uses) over Total Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource, has shown a slight decline (improvement) from 164.1% to 163.76%.

(b)  &  (c) Water  being  a  State  subject,  the  aspects  related  to  water  resources,  including  ground  water development  and  management  are  planned,  funded  and  executed  by  the  State  Governments.  The  Central Government complements the efforts  of  the  States  by  providing  technical  support  and  financial  assistance through its various centrally sponsored schemes. Some of the important steps taken by the Ministry to check ground water depletion in the State of Punjab are given below:-

Government  of  India  launched  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  2019,  a  time  bound  campaign  with  a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India (including 20 districts in Punjab). JSA is continuing in 2023-24 also.

Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  launched  Amrit  Sarovar  Mission  on  24 th April  2022.  The  Mission  is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

CGWB has taken up National Aquifer Mapping & Management Programme (NAQUIM) to delineate and  characterise  the  aquifer  system  in  the  country  including  Punjab.  NAQUIM  have  been  carried  out  in Punjab  for  a  mappable  area  of  50369  Sq  km.  and  reports  have  been  shared  with  the  State  for  suitable implementation. Further, under NAQUIM 2.0 studies are being carried out in the water stressed areas priority of Ludhiana and Sangrur districts.

Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  has  been  prepared  by  the  CGWB  with States/UTs  providing  a  broad  outline  of  the  project  and  expected  investments.  The  Master  Plan  envisages construction  of  about  1.42  crore  Rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge  structures  in  the  Country  to harness 185 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM) of water. In Punjab, Master plan envisages about 11 Lakh Rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures to harness about 1200 Million Cubic Meter (MCM) of rain-water.

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. So far, 21 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation including Punjab.

Several  Trainings  and  Public  Interaction  Programmes  are  being  organized  at  grassroots  level  to spread awareness among the masses to reduce the dependence on groundwater and restore the water table

In  addition  to  these,  the  other  important  steps  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  sustainable ground water management in the country including in the state of Punjab can be seen at https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2023/02/2023021742.pdf

Also, the other important steps taken by the Government of Punjab for sustainable management of the groundwater in the State of Punjab is given at Annexure to this reply.

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## ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) & (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1025  TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 08.02.2024 REGARDING 'EXTRACTION OF GROUND WATER'.

## Initiatives taken by Government of Punjab for sustainable management of Groundwater

The important steps taken by the Government of Punjab for sustainable management of ground water in the State of Punjab are-

1. The  Punjab  Water  Resources  Regulation  and  Development  Authority  (PWRDA)  have  been established under section 3 of Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, 2020 Act. The Authority will ensure conservation, management and regulation of water in the State in accordance with the Integrated State Water Plan (ISWP).
2. State Government has set-up a dedicated Directorate of Ground Water Management, with the prime objective of conserving and managing water resources.
3. Punjab Government has engaged M/s Mekorot, National Water Company of Israel to formulate the Water Conservation and Management Master Plan for the State of Punjab.
4. The  Punjab  Preservation  of  Sub-Soil  Water  Ordinance,  2008-  The  Ordinance  provides  for  the prohibition  of  sowing  nursery  of  paddy  before  10th  May  and  transplanting  paddy  as  notified  by State  Government,  i.e.  before  15th  June.  The  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  the  Ordinance invites penalty, in addition to the expenses incurred for destroying the nursery of paddy sown or transplanted before the specified or notified dates.
5. Diversification  from  Paddy to  Maize under National Adaptation for climate change  for 2019-20. Area under cotton has also been taken during 2019-20.
6. Encouragement  of  Resource  Conservation  Technology  (RCT)  like  Laser  Land  Levelling,  Zero Tilling,  etc.  is  being  done  in  farming  communities.  The  state  government  provides  subsidy  to farmers for custom hiring of this machinery.
7. Medium/Short Duration Rice Cultivars are being promoted over long duration ones, to save water. Information  regarding  the  same  is  being  disseminated  at  district,  block  and  village  level  camps. Further, these varieties are being popularized through demonstration plots.
8. Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting has been made mandatory in all buildings above 200 sq. yds. by amending the buildings by-laws vide Chief Town Planner, Local Govt. Department, Punjab vide Notification  No.10/19/05-2LG/803  III dated 28.12.2005. Punjab Urban Planning & Development Authority (PUDA) is also amending building bye-laws applicable outside the municipal limits, to make Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting mandatory in buildings  constructed  in  area  where  water table is falling.
9. Government  of  Punjab  has  constructed  low  dams  to  provide  irrigation  facilities  under  Bharat Nirman Program. These dams facilitate in augmenting the Ground Water Resources of the State & in arresting the declining ground water table.

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