Lok Sabha Question No. 3262 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-12
Subject: Narmada Canal Project in Barmer-Balotra Area
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal

†3262.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3262

ANSWERED ON 12.03.2026

## NARMADA CANAL PROJECT IN BARMER-BALOTRA AREA

SHRI UMMEDA RAM BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  current  status  of  the  works  under  the  second  and  third  phases  of  the  Narmada  Canal  Project  in Barmer-Balotra  area  and  the  time  by  which  water  connections  to  the  remaining  villages  to  be  provided under the said project;

(b) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the groundwater in Balotra and adjoining areas is highly saline and contaminated;

(c) if  so,  whether the Government is contemplating to set up a desalination plant to sweeten saline water here and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the details of the funds spent during the last three years to improve the depleting groundwater level in Barmer district under the Atal Bhujal Yojana and the results achieved therefrom?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The Narmada Canal Project has been completed with central assistance under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme. Government of Rajasthan has informed that total water allocation for the project is 0.5 MAF, in which 22% share has been allocated for drinking purposes.

Public  Health  Department,  Government  of  Rajasthan  has  informed  that  six  (06)  projects  based  on Narmada Canal have been sanctioned to cater drinking water demand of 1106 villages of Barmer & Balotra districts. Status of these projects are given at Annexure.

(b) & (c) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under this Ministry generates groundwater quality data at a  regional  scale  across  the  country  including  Barmer-Balotra areas of Rajasthan state. As per the Annual Ground Water Quality Report - 2025, groundwater quality monitoring in Barmer district indicates localized exceedance of certain parameters beyond the BIS drinking water limits. In respect of Balotra, the analysis indicated  Electrical  Conductivity  (EC)  in  excess  of  the  BIS  prescribed  limit  for  drinking  water  for  the sample collected and analysed, while all other analysed parameters were found within the permissible limits.

Government of Rajasthan has informed that in view of groundwater quality, the State Government has shifted drinking water supply in the affected areas from groundwater sources to surface water-based supply systems under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) such as Pokaran-Falsoond-Balotra-Siwana Water Supply Project, Barmer  Lift  Water  Supply  Project  (BLWSP),  Narmada  Canal  Based  Water  Supply  Project  and  OTMP scheme under JJM. Government of Rajasthan has also informed that 102 RO plants have also been installed in different time frames in Balotra district for desalting the saline groundwater.

(d) Atal Bhujal Yojana was a pilot project with fixed duration and outlay, implemented across 8,203 water stressed  Gram  Panchayats  of  7  States  viz.  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra, Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  Scheme  has successfully  demonstrated  the  efficacy  of  community  led participatory  ground  water  management  and  provided  a  replicable  model  which  can  be  taken  up  for implementation by other States also, with their own budgetary arrangements. An amount of Rs.508.46 crore has been utilized till 08.03.2026 by the State of Rajasthan.

The scheme has not been implemented in Barmer district of Rajasthan.

***

## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3262 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 12.03.2026 REGARDING 'NARMADA CANAL PROJECT IN BARMER-BALOTRA AREA'

## Details of projects based on Narmada Canal sanctioned to cater drinking water demand of 1106 villages of Barmer & Balotra district

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Project                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | District (Number of villages)                | Status     |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|------------|
|         1 | Narmada canal based Transmission and Cluster Water Supply Project for Sheo-Ramsar Tehsil                                                                                                                                                          | Barmer (217 villages)                        | Completed  |
|         2 | Narmada Canal based JJM 217 villages of Tehsil Sheo &Ramsar under JJM                                                                                                                                                                             | Barmer (217 villages)                        | Ongoing    |
|         3 | Narmada based 'HR' Infras Gudamalani Water Supply Project under NRDWP                                                                                                                                                                             | Balotra (302 villages) Barmer (149 villages) | Completed  |
|         4 | Narmada based Water Supply Project for 451 villages of Sindhari Dhorimanna and Barmer blocks District Barmer (Package CP-02, HR-1, HR-2) under JICA funded Rajasthan Rural Water Supply & Fluorosis Mitigation Project Phase II (CP-02) under JJM | Balotra (302 villages) Barmer (149 villages) | Ongoing    |
|         5 | Narmada based WS project for 163 Village under JICA Package CP03-(CH1) under JJM                                                                                                                                                                  | Barmer (163 villages)                        | Work Order |
|         6 | Narmada based WS project for 275 Village under JICA Package CP04-(CH2) under JJM                                                                                                                                                                  | Barmer (275 villages)                        | Work Order |

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