Lok Sabha Question No. 677 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: Water Scarcity in North Eastern Region
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 677

ANSWERED ON 28.11.2024

## WATER SCARCITY IN NORTH EASTERN REGION

## 677. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of availability of ground water in North Eastern Region (NER) during the last ten years and the current year, year and State-wise;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  water  scarcity  is  gradually  becoming  one  of  the  most important issue in NER;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)  the  measures  taken  or  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  water scarcity for the people of NER?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

- (a) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment of the country is being regularly carried out by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) jointly with States/UTs including North East India. The yearwise and state-wise annual extractable  groundwater resources of NE States based on the assessments done during previous ten years are given below:

| S. No.   | State             |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource in BCM(Billion Cubic Meters) |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource in BCM(Billion Cubic Meters) |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource in BCM(Billion Cubic Meters) |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource in BCM(Billion Cubic Meters) | Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource in BCM(Billion Cubic Meters)   |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          |                   |                                                                2023     |                                                                2022     |                                                                2020     |                                                                 2017    | 2013*                                                                   |
| 1        | Arunachal Pradesh |                                                                   4.16  |                                                                   4.07  |                                                                   2.916 |                                                                    2.67 | 3.99                                                                    |
| 2        | Assam             |                                                                  20.93  |                                                                  21.4   |                                                                  21.966 |                                                                   24.26 | 28.9                                                                    |
| 3        | Manipur           |                                                                   0.466 |                                                                   0.47  |                                                                   0.46  |                                                                    0.39 | 0.42                                                                    |
| 4        | Meghalaya         |                                                                   1.51  |                                                                   1.51  |                                                                   1.82  |                                                                    1.64 | 2.98                                                                    |
| 5        | Mizoram           |                                                                   0.2   |                                                                   0.2   |                                                                   0.2   |                                                                    0.19 | 0.035                                                                   |
| 6        | Nagaland          |                                                                   0.54  |                                                                   0.71  |                                                                   1.95  |                                                                    1.98 | 1.75                                                                    |
| 7        | Tripura           |                                                                   1.09  |                                                                   1.064 |                                                                   1.245 |                                                                    1.24 | 2.26                                                                    |
| 8        | Sikkim            |                                                                   0.218 |                                                                   0.244 |                                                                   0.864 |                                                                    1.52 | Not Assessed                                                            |
| Total    | Total             |                                                                  29.114 |                                                                  29.668 |                                                                  31.421 |                                                                   33.89 | 40.335                                                                  |

*Ground  Water  Resource  Assessment  for  the  year  2013  was  conducted  based  on  GEC-1997 methodology which was subsequently revised and replaced with GEC-2015 methodology which has been used for resource assessment from the year 2017 onwards.

(b)  to  (d) The  government  is  cognizant  of  the  importance  of  ground  water  resources  in  the  country including in the North-Eastern Region. However, Water being a State subject, sustainable development and management of groundwater resources, is primarily the responsibility of the State Government. The Central Government facilitates the efforts of the State Governments by way of technical and financial assistance through its various schemes and projects. In this direction, the important steps taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and other central ministries are given below :

-  Central Ground  Water Board (CGWB)  has  completed  the National Aquifer  Mapping (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of the country including the entire mappable area of 89,596 sq. kms in the North-Eastern States. The Aquifer maps and management plans have  been  prepared  and  shared  with  the  respective  State  agencies  for  implementation.  The management plans include various water conservation measures through recharge structures.
-  CGWB  has  prepared  a  Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. The Master Plan envisages construction of about 5.4 lakh structures in North-Eastern States who are working on devising a suitable action plan for its implementation.
-  Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) from  2015-16  in  the  Country.  PDMC  mainly  focuses  on  water  use  efficiency  at  farm  level through precision/micro irrigation & better on-farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources. PDMC being a central sector scheme, funding to NE states is provided in the ratio of 90:10.
-  Department  of  Land  Resources  is  implementing  Watershed  Development  Component  of PMKSY scheme  (PMKSY-WDC)  under  which  rejuvenation  of  springs  in  the  hilly  areas  is given importance.
-  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  North-Eastern  States  of  Assam  and Nagaland. The model bill envisages that in urban areas, rain water available from roof tops of buildings and other open areas can be utilized gainfully for ground water recharge. Rain water

harvesting structures feasible in urban areas include recharge pits, trench, existing tube wells or open wells etc.

-  The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under MoJS 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. Abstraction cum  use of Groundwater  in  the  country  is  regulated  by  CGWA by  way  of  issuing  NOCs  as  per  the provisions of its Guidelines dated 24.09.2020 which have pan India applicability.
-  National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water, conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner through community participation.
-  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  has  released  Model  Building  Bye-laws,  2016  which recommends Rainwater Harvesting for all types of Building with plot size 100 sq.m or more. So far, 35 States have incorporated the provisions in their respective building bye laws.

In  addition to the above, the Government of India has taken several other significant initiatives for  the  improvement  of  groundwater  situation  in  the  country  which  can  be  seen  through  link  belowhttps://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/document/steps-taken-by-the-central-government-to-control-waterdepletion-and-promote-rain-water-harvesting-conservation/

*****