Lok Sabha Question No. 1773 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Water Scarcity
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Jyotirmay Singh Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1773

## ANSWERED ON 01.08.2024

## WATER SCARCITY

## †1773. SHRI JYOTIRMAY SINGH MAHATO

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the farmers in Purulia are facing scarcity of water for irrigation due to global warming;

(b) whether the Government is involving local communities in water management and conservation efforts in Purulia;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  improve  the  water  storage  and  distribution  infrastructure  in Purulia district to manage water scarcity better;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  of  the  country  are  being  assessed  every  year  from  2022 jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2023 assessment the stage of ground water extraction for the district stands at 17.26%, categorized as 'Safe'. Government of  West  Bengal  has  reported  that  due  to  climate  change,  south  west  Monsoon  reached  late  in  South Bengal for last few years which affects transplanting of Paddy crops.

(b) State  Government  of  West  Bengal  has  reported  that  they  have  taken  initiatives  for  involving communities for sustainability of water sector through formation and capacity building of Water User Association (WUA). The initiatives taken in respect of Purulia district are as follows:

-  458 Water Users Associations (WUAs) have been formed and supported having 14,246 farmers which includes 5,630 Women and 4,743 tribals.
-  404 WUAs are providing services to the member farmers on irrigation, agriculture, horticulture & fisheries using better water management plans.
-  71 WUAs have women leaders while 57 WUAs are mostly women members.
-  374 Ha mixed fruit Plantation orchards have been developed through plantation of about 1.3 lakh plants mostly with women initiatives.
-  Two WUAs received National Water Award for their excellent work one of which is women WUA.

It  has  been  a  constant  endeavor  of  the  Central  Government  to  involve  local  communities, particularly, in coordination and collaboration with the State Governments in water conservation and its management for the purpose of ensuring the sustainability of the projects/works. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch  the  Rain  campaign  of  the  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  is  one  of  the  flagship  campaigns  depicting involvement of local communities.

(c)  &  (d) The  State  Government  of  West  Bengal  has  reported  that  they  are  focussing  towards conservation of water resources in the State. Jal Dharo- Jal Bharo (JD-JB) is  implemented with the objective for conservation of rain water in all kinds of water bodies viz. tanks, ponds, reservoirs, canals, check dams etc. for sustainable development of water resources and its convergence with agriculture and allied activities.

State Government has further reported that about 40,000 water bodies/ pond/ tank equivalent etc. have been created/ renovated/ revived under Jal Dharo-Jal Bharo (JD-JB) Abhiyan for conservation of rain/  surface  water.  About 6,800 hectare-meter of storage capacity have been created/ revived having nearly  60,000  hectare  of  Culturable  Command  Area  extending  benefit  to  nearly  85,000  farmers. This inter alia includes 1,218 different types of minor irrigation schemes conserving surface water viz. 431 surface flow minor irrigation schemes (SFMIS), 49 water harvesting tanks (WHT), 159 check dams, 496  water  detention  structures  (WDS),  51  Farm  Pond/  Minor  Irrigation  Tank/  Happa  and  32  Minor Irrigation Schemes.

Further  steps  taken  by  the  State  Government  to  improve  the  water  storage  and  distribution infrastructure are as follows:

-  8 Drip/ Sprinkler schemes  having  irrigation potential of 128  Hectare installed for conservation of water resources.
-  3 roof top rain water harvesting with artificial recharge to ground water scheme have also been constructed for ground water recharge on pilot basis.
-  'West Bengal Ground Water Resources (Management, Control and Regulation) Act, 2005' implemented to manage, control regulate extraction of ground water.
- (e) Does not arise.

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