Lok Sabha Question No. 368 (STARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Critical Zones of Water Scarcity
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RAJ KUMAR SAINI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO. *368

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## CRITICAL ZONES OF WATER SCARCITY

## *368. SHRI RAJKUMAR SAINI

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government has carried out any  study to identify  critical  zones  in  terms  of  water scarcity and low ground water level in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government intends to bring special provisions to improve irrigation and drinking facilities in such zones, and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken/to be taken to resolve the issue of water scarcity?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA

REJUVENATION (SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)

- (a) to  (c)     A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART S (a)  TO  (c)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. *368 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING 'CRITICAL ZONES OF WATER SCARCITY' ASKED BY SHRI RAJKUMAR SAINI, HON'BLE M.P, LOK SABHA:

(a) Yes  Madam.  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  and  State  Ground  Water  Organizations jointly assess replenishable ground water resources of the Country periodically with Block/Taluka/Firka as an assessment unit.  As per the latest assessment (as on March 2011), out of 6607 assessment units (Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas/ Districts) in the Country, 1071 units falling in 16 States and 2 UTs have been categorized as 'Over-Exploited'.  In addition, 217 assessment units are 'Critical'  and  697  are  'Semi-Critical'  on  the  basis  of  declining  ground  water  level  and  stage  of ground  water  development/utilization.    State-wise  details  of  over-exploited  assessment  units  are given at Annexure.

(b) & (c) CGWB has prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to  Ground  Water  in  India',  which  envisages  construction  of  Artificial  Recharge  and  Rainwater Harvesting  structures  in  the  Country.    The  augmented  ground  water  resources  will  enhance  the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose.  The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

Special  focus  is  given  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Act (MGNREGA) for water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water.  In addition, priority has been given for construction of farm ponds in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.

Department  of  Land  Resources,  Government  of  India  is  implementing  'Watershed  Development Component' of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchaai Yojana (PMKSY) since 2015-16.  One of the major  activity  under  the  'Watershed  Development  Component',  inter-alia  includes  rainwater harvesting.

To  increase  availability  of  drinking  water,  the  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  &  Sanitation  has suggested all States to adopt water conservation measures like roof top rainwater harvesting, erecting sustainability structures for water conservation etc.  For creating such sustainability structures, 10 % of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) fund is provided to the States.

Other steps/measures taken by the Central Government for the improving the situation include:

- i. Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  RD  &  GR  has  launched  'Jal  Kranti  Abhiyan'  (2015-16  to 2017-18) in order to consolidate water conservation and management in the Country through a  holistic  and  integrated  approach involving all  stakeholders, making it  a mass movement. 'Jal Gram Yojana' component of 'Jal Kranti Abhiyan' envisages selection of two villages in every district,  preferably  'over-exploited'  or  facing  acute  water  scarcity,  as ' Jal  Grams' to ensure optimum and sustainable utilization of water.
- ii. CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme during XII Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.  As on March 2016, mapping of 2.28 lakh sq.km area has been achieved.
- iii. The  Ministry  has  circulated  a  Model  Bill  to  all  the  States/UTs  to  enable  them  to  enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision of rain water harvesting.  So far, 15 State have adopted and enacted suitable legislations in line of Model Bill.
- iv. CGWB has undertaken the Demonstrative Rain  Water Harvesting  and  Artificial  Recharge Projects during XI Plan under the Scheme of 'Ground Water Management & Regulation', in priority areas.

***

Annexure  referred  in  reply  to Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  *368 for 11.08.2016 regarding 'Critical Zones of Water Scarcity'

## OVER-EXPLOITED BLOCKS/ MANDALS/ TALUKAS IN INDIA

## (As on March, 2011)

| Sl. No.   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Over-Exploited   | Over-Exploited   |
|-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
| Sl. No.   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Nos.             | %                |
|           | States                       |                               |                  |                  |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh               | 662                           | 41               | 6                |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh            | 11                            | 0                | 0                |
| 3         | Assam                        | 27                            | 0                | 0                |
| 4         | Bihar                        | 533                           | 0                | 0                |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh                 | 146                           | 1                | 1                |
| 6         | Delhi                        | 27                            | 18               | 67               |
| 7         | Goa                          | 20                            | 0                | 0                |
| 8         | Gujarat                      | 223                           | 24               | 11               |
| 9         | Haryana                      | 116                           | 71               | 61               |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh             | 8                             | 1                | 13               |
| 11        | Jammu &Kashmir               | 14                            | 0                | 0                |
| 12        | Jharkhand                    | 210                           | 6                | 3                |
| 13        | Karnataka                    | 270                           | 63               | 23               |
| 14        | Kerala                       | 152                           | 1                | 1                |
| 15        | Madhya Pradesh               | 313                           | 24               | 8                |
| 16        | Maharashtra                  | 353                           | 10               | 3                |
| 17        | Manipur                      | 8                             | 0                | 0                |
| 18        | Meghalaya                    | 7                             | 0                | 0                |
| 19        | Mizoram                      | 22                            | 0                | 0                |
| 20        | Nagaland                     | 8                             | 0                | 0                |
| 21        | Odisha                       | 314                           | 0                | 0                |
| 22        | Punjab                       | 138                           | 110              | 80               |
| 23        | Rajasthan                    | 243                           | 172              | 71               |
| 24        | Sikkim                       | 4                             | 0                | 0                |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu                   | 1129                          | 374              | 33               |
| 26        | Telangana                    | 448                           | 42               | 9                |
| 27        | Tripura                      | 39                            | 0                | 0                |
| 28        | Uttar Pradesh                | 820                           | 111              | 14               |
| 29        | Uttarakhand                  | 18                            | 0                | 0                |
| 30        | West Bengal                  | 271                           | 0                | 0                |
|           | Total (States)               | 6554                          | 1069             | 16               |
|           | Union Territories            |                               |                  |                  |
| 1         | Andaman &Nicobar             | 36                            | 0                | 0                |
| 2         | Chandigarh                   | 1                             | 0                | 0                |
| 3         | Dadra &Nagar Haveli          | 1                             | 0                | 0                |
| 4         | Daman &Diu                   | 2                             | 1                | 50               |
| 5         | Lakshadweep                  | 9                             | 0                | 0                |
| 6         | Pondicherry                  | 4                             | 1                | 25               |
|           | Total (UTs)                  | 53                            | 2                | 4                |
|           | Grand Total                  | 6607                          | 1071             | 16               |