Lok Sabha Question No. 143 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-02
Subject: Community Initiative for Rain water Harvesting
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Adala Prabhakara Reddy, Kuruva Gorantla Madhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 143

ANSWERED ON 02.02.2023

## COMMUNITY INITIATIVE FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

## 143. SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA REDDY SHRI KURUVA GORANTLA MADHAV

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  introduced  any  community  initiatives  to  encourage  rainwater harvesting at homes;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the progress made through such initiatives;

(c) if not, the reasons therefor;

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  on  how  rainwater  harvesting  can  be effectively leveraged at the household level;

(e) if so, the details thereof including the steps taken in response to the findings; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) & (b) Water is a State subject and the Central Government supplements the efforts of the States on water conservation and recharge, including rainwater conservation and its harvesting, through technical  and  financial  support.  However,  Government  of  India  has  been  implementing  various schemes for rainwater conservation and its harvesting convergence with the schemes of the State Governments  and  with  people's  participation.   One  of  the  such  major  initiatives  of  the  Central Government include implementation of 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' (JSA) in 1,592 blocks of 256 waterstressed districts of the country during July to November 2019 to promote water conservation and water resource management by focusing on water conservation & rainwater harvesting, renovation of  traditional  and  other  water  bodies/  tanks,  reuse,  and  recharge  of  bore  wells,  watershed development and intensive afforestation. Third in the series of JSA, 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain' - 2022 was launched on 29 March, 2022 in all districts (rural as well as urban areas) of the country  with  the  theme  'Catch  the  Rain,  where  it  falls,  when  it  falls'.  Water  conservation  and rainwater harvesting is one of the focused interventions of the campaign. National Water Policy, inter-alia, advocates water conservation and rain water harvesting. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT),  (AMRUT-II),  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana,  etc  also  include  rain water harvesting.

## Interventions Progress under JSA-2019 was as under:-

| Water Conservation &Rain Water Harvesting 2,73,256   | Renovation of Traditional &Other Water Bodies/Tanks 44,497   | Reuse and Recharge Structures 1,42,740   |
|------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Watershed Development 1,59,354                       | Intensive Afforestation (Saplings planted) 12,35,99,566      | Block Water Conservation Plan 1,372      |

The progress of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign of 2021 as uploaded on JSA:CTR Portal (jsactr.mowr.gov.in) from 22.3.2021 to 28.03.2022 is as follows:-

- (i) Water Conservation & Rainwater Harvesting Structures: 16,22,957; (ii) Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies: 2,96,958; (iii) Reuse and Recharge Structures: 8,31,961; (iv) Watershed Development:  19,18,395;  (v)  Intensive  Afforestation:   36,75,68,460;  and  Training  Programmes/ Kisan  Melas:  43,631.  The  above  details  include  completed  as  well  as  ongoing  works.    Actual expenditure  from  MGNREGS  funds  was  about  Rs.  65,666  crore.   States/UTs  have  also  been requested to utilize their own resources.

The progress of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain - 2022 campaign since 29.3.2022 as on 31.01.2023 is as follows:-

- (i)  Water  Conservation  & Rainwater Harvesting Structures: 11,94,676; (ii) Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies: 2,61,097; (iii) Reuse and Recharge Structures: 8,58,091; (iv) Watershed Development: 15,87,268; (v) Intensive Afforestation:  78,37,97,693; (vi) Total Jal Shakti Kendra established  till  date  607;  (viii)  Training  Programmes/  Kisan  Melas:  55,271;  and   (viii)  Scientific water  conservation  plan  prepared  264.  The  above  details  include  completed  as  well  as  ongoing works. Actual expenditure from Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) funds is Rs. 22,666 crore.
- (c) Does not arise.
- (d) to (f) No specific study is available.  However, various methods commonly used for rain water harvesting including house-hold level have been described in the 'Manual on Artificial Recharge of Ground Water' available in the public domain at the following URL: http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/Manual-Artificial-Recharge.pdf.

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