Lok Sabha Question No. 2930 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Rehabilitation of People displaced by Erosion of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Ramashankar  Vidharthi Rajbhar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2930

ANSWERED ON 12.12.2024

## REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE DISPLACED BY EROSION OF RIVERS

## †2930. SHRI RAMASHANKAR RAJBHAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to rehabilitate the people displaced by the erosion of rivers and if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken/being taken to protect land and villages from the erosion of rivers;

(b) whether the Government has a plan to remove silt from the rivers and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the main conclusions of the expert group of the Planning Commission to study groundwater level scenario in the country so far; and

(d)  the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  the  rapid  depleting  level  of groundwater in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Government of India has formulated the Policy on Resettlement of People Affected by Erosion under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The State Government undertakes assessment of damages  caused  due  to  12  notified  natural  calamities  including  rain  and  floods  and  provide  relief assistance  from  State  Disaster  Response  Fund  (SDRF)  already  placed  at  their  disposal  as  per Government  of  India's  approved  norms.  Additional  financial  assistance  is  provided  from  National Disaster  Response Fund (NDRF), as per laid down procedure in case of disaster of 'severe nature' which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

Flood management and anti-erosion schemes are formulated and implemented by concerned State  Governments  as  per  their  priority.   Government  of  India  promotes  and  provides  technical assistance, as well as promotional financial assistance for critical areas. To strengthen the structural measures  of  flood  management  and  anti-erosion,  Union  Government  had  implemented  Flood Management Programme (FMP) during XI & XII Plans for providing central assistance to States for works  related  to  flood  control,  anti-erosion,  drainage  development,  anti-sea  erosion,  etc.  which subsequently  continued  as  a  component  of  'Flood  Management  and  Border  Areas  Programme' (FMBAP) for the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21 and was further extended up to 2026. A total of 529

FMP schemes have been approved and total Central Assistance amounting to Rs 7136.00 Cr. has been released under FMP component to various States/UTs since its inception. Out of these, 427 completed schemes have  given protection  to  an  area  of  around  5.04  Mha  and  protected  a  population  of  about 53.69 million

(b) Erosion,  movement and deposition of sediment in a river are natural regulating functions of a river.  Rivers  tend  to  maintain  a  balance  between  the  silt  load  carried  and  silt  load  deposited, maintaining  a  river  regime.  Dredging/desilting  of  rivers  is  not  considered  techno-economically feasible,  as  it  can  provide  benefits  marginally  and  is  effective  only  for  a  short  period.  Selective dredging  in  specific  reaches  such  as  tidal  rivers,  confluence  points  with  narrow  constrictions,  etc., sometimes may have to be undertaken based upon local site conditions. However, the same should be backed by proper scientific model study. The desilting measures including dredging in specific reaches of rivers for removal of drainage congestion, channel capacity improvement and navigation purpose are formulated and implemented by concerned States/ agencies as per requirement.

For  the  comprehensive  and  holistic  management  of  sediments,  the  Department  of  Water Resources, River Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation,  Ministry  of Jal Shakti, in extensive consultations  with  Central  Government  Ministries/  Departments/  State  Governments/  UTs  have prepared the 'National Framework for Sediment Management' (NFSM). Its emphasis is on reducing silt  generation  rather  than  silt  removal  and  promote  technological innovations & best practices. The framework lays emphasis on sediment management through integrated river basin management plan giving due consideration to environment and ecology.

(c) The Expert Group of the Planning Commission has recognized that India's groundwater resources face severe threats due to over exploitation in certain areas, causing significant declines in water tables with  adverse  effects  on  small  farmers  and  the  environment.  The  Expert  Group  has  emphasized  the need for promoting artificial recharge methods and sustainable extraction practices. It highlighted the importance  of  community-based  groundwater  management,  supported  by  robust  legal  reforms. Further, the Expert Group has advocated adopting a sustainable yield approach, balancing groundwater  usage  with  recharge  rates.  It  assigned  the  responsibility  of  scientific  monitoring  of groundwater levels and estimation of sustainable usage to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Ground Water Boards (SGWB). If groundwater levels fall below replenishable thresholds, the Central Government may intervene by declaring affected areas as 'environmentally threatened,' under the Environment Act.

(d) The  aspects  related  to  water  resources  including  its  conservation  are  planned,  funded  and executed  by  the  State  Governments  as  per  their  resources  and  priorities.  The  Central  Government supplements the efforts of the State Government and provides requisite technical and financial support

in terms with the existing schemes being implemented by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

The  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  to  address  the  issue  of  declining  water  levels  across  the country are outlined as under:

-  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  completed  the  National  Aquifer  Mapping (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of about 25 Lakh sq. km. The Aquifer maps and management plans have been prepared and shared with the respective State agencies for implementation.
-  CGWB  has  prepared,  a  Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  in consultation with States/UTs indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of  the  country.  The  Master  Plan  has  been  circulated  to  all  the  States/UTs  and  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 monsoon rainfall. The Master Plan is being implemented in one district in each State through convergence with State schemes.
-  National  Water  Policy  (2012),  formulated  by  Department  of  Water  Resources,  River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, 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, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner  through community participation.
-  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.
-  The Government 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.

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