Lok Sabha Question No. 679 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-06
Subject: Shortage of Manpower at CGWA and CGWB
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Azad Kirti Jha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 679

ANSWERED ON 06.02.2025

## SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER AT CGWA AND CGWB

## 679. SHRI AZAD KIRTI JHA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the administrative activities of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) have recently been carried out by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB);

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c)  whether  CGWA  and  CGWB  are  being  incapacitated  due  to  a  shortage  of  technical  and  non-technical personnel;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the actions taken/being taken by the Government to address the shortage;

(e) whether the Cadre Review Proposal is finalized for the creation of additional posts in CGWB;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and

(g) if not, the time by which the proposal would be finalized and new posts would be created?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  &  (b) Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB),  is  a  multi-disciplinary  scientific  organization  under  the Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti,  entrusted  with  the  responsibilities  of  providing  scientific  inputs  for  management, exploration, monitoring, assessment and augmentation  of ground water resources of the country.

Further,  the  Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  been  created  under  the  Ministry  of  Jal Shakti under section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the purposes of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the country. Since ground water regulation also requires in depth knowledge of hydrogeology, local aquifer potential etc. the expertise of the officers of CGWB is also being utilized to handle this work.

(c) to (g) No.

The Ministry has taken various steps to fill up the vacancies by way of promotions from the feeder cadre as well as direct recruitments, as the case may be. To cover the gap in the interim period, the Ministry

has  also  permitted  CGWB  to  hire  adequate  number  of  Young  Professionals  of  suitable  qualification  and experience so as to ensure smooth functioning of the organization.

The recruitment for remaining cadres is being taken up in mission mode. In this regard, proposals have already been sent to UPSC/SSC who are taking necessary action as per their standard recruitment cycle.

Moreover, with a vision to shape CGWB into a premier scientific organization, a comprehensive cadre re-structuring  has  been  initiated  for  the  first  time  since  the  establishment  of  the  organization.  In  the  restructuring, it has been proposed to strengthen the scientific cadre considering the future work requirements and  surrender  a  sizable  number  of  lower  grade  drilling  operations  related  posts,  which  may  be  no  longer required. Currently, the cadre review/re-structuring proposal of CGWB has been taken up with Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) and Department of Expenditure (DoE) for necessary approvals.

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