Lok Sabha Question No. 1858 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-28
Subject: Storage of Rain Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1858 ANSWERED ON 28.07.2016

## STORAGE OF RAIN WATER

1858. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that every year most of the water received through rainfall during the monsoon season gradually flows unutilized into the seas and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether any scheme for collecting rain water has been proposed by the Government so that this water could be used for meeting the requirement of water to the extent possible;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the number of such States in the country where rain water is being put to use and ponds/dams have been built for storing this water along with the other details in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) The  average  annual  precipitation  is  about  4000  billion  cubic  meters  (BCM).  As  per  the assessment done by Central Water Commission, the average annual water availability in the country is 1869  BCM. The remaining water is  lost  to  the  atmosphere  through  evapotranspiration  from  barren lands, forests, natural vegetation, rainfed agriculture, natural ponds and lakes etc. It is estimated that owing  to  topographic,  hydrological  and  other  constraints,  the  utilizable  water  is  1123  BCM  which comprises of 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground water resources.  It has been estimated that about 450 BCM of surface water & 245 BCM of ground water is being utilized for various purposes. The rest of the water could be considered to be flowing down to sea.

(b) &(c) State Governments undertake several measures for augmenting, conserving and utilizing the water resources which inter-alia include conservation of water resources in reservoirs and traditional water  bodies,  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge  of  ground  water.  This  Ministry  provides technical and financial assistance to the State Governments in this regard through various schemes and programmes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), Scheme for Repair, Renovation & Restoration (RRR) of Water-bodies etc.

Central  Ground  Water  Board,  under  this  Ministry  has  prepared  a  conceptual  document  entitled 'Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India'  during  the  year  2013  envisaging construction of 1.11 crore Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge structures in the country to harness  85  BCM  (Billion  Cubic  Meters)  of  water.  The  augmented  ground  water  resources  will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

Water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water constitute a special focus area for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) works and about 2/3rd of the expenditure is directly related to construction of such structures.

Central Government has launched the National Water Mission with the objective of conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management. One of the goals of National Water Mission  is  'promotion  of citizen and  state action for  water conservation,  augmentation  and preservation'.

(d) The concerned State Governments facilitate construction of dams/check dams/farm ponds etc. to store rainwater for various uses.  As per available information, storage capacity of about 253 BCM has been created in the country so far. The State-wise details of storage created is given in Annexure.

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## Annexure

(Annexure referred in reply to part (d) of Unstarred Question No.+1858  to be answered on 28.07.2016 in the Lok Sabha regarding Storage of Rain Water)

## Live storage capacity

| Sl. No.   | STATE/U.T.        |   Total Live Storage Capacity (BCM) |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1.        | ANDAMAN &NICOBAR  |                               0.019 |
| 2.        | ARUNACHAL PRADESH |                               6e-06 |
| 3.        | ANDHRA PRADESH    |                              28.716 |
| 4.        | ASSAM             |                               0.012 |
| 5.        | BIHAR             |                               2.613 |
| 6.        | CHHATTISGARH      |                               6.736 |
| 7.        | GOA               |                               0.29  |
| 8.        | GUJARAT           |                              18.359 |
| 9.        | HIMACHAL PRADESH  |                              13.792 |
| 10.       | JAMMU AND KASHMIR |                               0.029 |
| 11.       | JHARKHAND         |                               2.436 |
| 12.       | KARNATAKA         |                              31.896 |
| 13.       | KERALA            |                               9.768 |
| 14.       | MAHARASHTRA       |                              37.358 |
| 15.       | MADHYA PRADESH    |                              33.075 |
| 16.       | MANIPUR           |                               0.407 |
| 17.       | MEGHALAYA         |                               0.479 |
| 18.       | NAGALAND          |                               1.22  |
| 19.       | ORISSA            |                              23.934 |
| 20.       | PUNJAB            |                               2.402 |
| 21.       | RAJASTHAN         |                               9.708 |
| 22.       | SIKKIM            |                               0.007 |
| 23.       | TAMIL NADU        |                               7.859 |
| 24.       | TRIPURA           |                               0.312 |
| 25.       | UTTARAKHAND       |                               5.67  |
| 26.       | UTTAR PRADESH     |                              14.263 |
| 27.       | WEST BENGAL       |                               2.027 |
| 28.       | MIZORAM           |                               0     |
|           | Total             |                             253.388 |