Lok Sabha Question No. 3070 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-04
Subject: Impact of Groundwater Level on Drinking Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SUBHASH PATEL

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO. 3070

ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016

## IMPACT OF GROUNDWATER LEVEL ON DRINKING WATER

†3070.   SHRI SUBHASH PATEL

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that decline in the groundwater level has led to drinking water problems in the country;
- (b) if so, the details and the facts thereof;

(c) whether the Government has formulated any concrete action plan in this regard and to harvest rain water so as to get rid of this problem; and (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  &  (b) Ground  water  monitoring  data  of  CGWB  for  Pre-Monsoon  2016,  compared  with decadal  mean  of  pre-monsoon  (2006-2015),  indicates  that  out  of  total  wells  analyzed,  around 65% of the wells are showing decline in ground water levels in various parts of the Country.

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has informed that the scarcity of drinking water in the Country  has  occurred  due  to  less  rainfall  in  many  parts  of  the  County  during  last  two  years, which has resulted in the depletion of ground water table due to inadequate recharge.  As most of the rural drinking water supply schemes are based on ground water sources, this has resulted in failure of many such schemes.  In addition, inadequate rain has resulted in depletion of water in major  storage  reservoirs  in  the  Country  and  this  has  compounded  the  problem  of  water availability for drinking purpose.

(c)  &  (d) Steps/measures  taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  the  improving  the  situation includes:

- i. 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India' has been prepared, which envisages construction of different types of Artificial Recharge and Rainwater Harvesting  structures  in  the  Country.  The  Master  Plan  has  been  circulated  to  all  State Governments for implementation.
- ii. Special focus is given through 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.
- iii. One of the major activities under the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchaai Yojana (PMKSY), inter-alia, includes rainwater harvesting.
- iv. 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.
- v. 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.
- vi. 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.
- vii. 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.
- viii. This Ministry has also 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.

*****