Lok Sabha Question No. 2855 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-06
Subject: River Water Management
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, (SMT.) RATNA DE(NAG), SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL, M. B. RAJESH, B. SREERAMULU

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  †2855

## ANSWERED ON 06.08.2015

**River Water Management**

†2855. SHRI JUGAL KISHORE

DR. RATNA DE (NAG)

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL

SHRI M.B. RAJESH

SHRI B. SRIRAMULU

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

(a) the details of ongoing and proposed schemes/projects for River Water Management (RWM) including the development/rejuvenation/cleaning and upgradation of water level as well as optimal utilization of water of different rivers in the country along with the funds allocated/released/utilized for the said purpose during the last three years and the current year, River/Scheme/Project-wise;

(b) whether the Government is aware that the pollution level in various rivers is increasing day by day and the water level is falling continuously, if so, the river-wise details of pollution level as well as water level during the said period along with the steps taken/to be taken in this direction;

(c) whether the Government has received any requests/projects from certain States including Karnataka for the purpose and if so, the State/UT-wise details thereof and the action taken thereon; and

(d) the concrete measures taken/to be taken by the Government to improve the situation by indicating the specific efforts made to ensure proper river water management?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)

(a) This Ministry provides central assistance to States under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) which was launched in 1996. Under this Programme, the central assistance is provided to State Governments for projects, which are in an advanced stage of completion for creation of irrigation potential. The details of on-going and proposed projects under AIBP and the funds released during the last three years and the current year are given in **Annexure-I.**

In addition, Central Assistance is also provided to States by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP **)** and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) Programmes. The State-wise funds released under this scheme during last three years and the current year given in **Annexure-II.**

(b)  Central Water Commission (CWC), under the Ministry, monitors water quality at 396 key locations in the country covering 246 rivers. The analysis of data from 2009-2013, reveal that in 182 rivers out of a total 246 rivers, one or more water quality parameter exceed the prescribed permissible limits as per details given in **Annexure-III** .  As regards fall in water Level in rivers, no specific study has been carried out by CWC.

(c)  As informed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change the proposals for conservation of rivers received from the States including Karnataka from time to time are considered for financial assistance under National River Conservation Plan based on pollution status, conformity with the guidelines and availability of funds. Under the programmes of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) & National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), works amounting to     Rs. 10955.22  crore in polluted stretches of 42 rivers in 199 towns spread over 21 States had been covered till August, 2014, which included pollution abatement works under NRCP costing Rs. 66.25 crore in 9 towns of Karnataka for conservation of rivers Cauvery, Tunga, Tungabhadra, Bhadra and Pennar for which,  the central grant of Rs. 47.83 crore has been released prior to the year 2012-13 to Government of Karnataka and sewage treatment capacity of 41.64 million litres per day (mld) has been created.

(d) 	CPCB and respective State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees inspect industries in order to ensure discharge of industrial effluents as per standards and take action under the water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for non-compliance of standards.

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