Lok Sabha Question No. 277 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-17
Subject: Ground Water Level
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *277

ANSWERED ON 17.12.2015

## GROUND WATER LEVEL

## *277.      SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA: SHRI LALLU SINGH:

WILL THE MINISTER OF  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the State/UT-wise areas found to be over exploited, deemed critical and semi critical pertaining to ground water as per the data available with the Central Ground Water Board and other agencies;
- (b) whether various agencies including World Bank have cautioned over exploitation of ground water in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the follow up action taken thereon;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to develop and manage ground water level in the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

THE  HON'BLE  MINISTER  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION

(SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)

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

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *277 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2015 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING 'GROUND WATER LEVEL' ASKED BY SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA AND SHRI LALLU SINGH, HON'BLE M.Ps, LOK SABHA:

(a)      As  per  the  latest  assessment  (Year-2011)  of  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources,  carried  out  jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the State Governments, out of 6607 assessment units (Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas/ Firkas/ 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 Semi-Critical on the basis of declining ground water level and stage of ground water development.  State/UT-wise details are given at Annexure.

(b) to (d)  Several reports by international organizations such as World Bank, United Nations International Children`s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Food & Agriculture Organization(FAO), United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) etc. have mentioned about ground water related issues and challenges in the  Country,  and  suggested  a  number  of  measures  like  an  increase  in  water  tariffs  in  urban  settings; optimizing crop water requirements; conjunctive use of surface and ground water in specific areas; ground water recharge to manage over-exploitation of ground water etc. which, inter-alia, include measures to be taken for sustainable development and management of ground water in the Country.

Government has taken several initiatives to manage ground water level in the Country.  These include:

- i. National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR which, inter-alia,  advocates  rain  water  harvesting  and  conservation  of  water  and  highlights  the  need  for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
- ii. CGWB has  taken  up  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  programme  during  XII  Plan,  under  the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.  Under this program, about 8.89 lakh sq.km prioritized water stressed areas has been taken up with an aim to delineate aquifer disposition and their characterization along with quantification and for preparation of aquifer/ area specific ground water  management  plans.  Aquifer-wise  management  plans  will  be  shared  with  concerned  State governments for implementation.
- iii. As per Schedule-I of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA),  the  water  conservation  and  water  harvesting  structures  to  augment  ground  water constitute a special focus area for MGNREGA works and about 2/3 rd of  the  expenditure is directly related to construction of water harvesting structures.
- iv. Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR 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 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.
- v. CGWB has prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India' during 2013, involving ground water scientists/experts.  The Master Plan envisages construction of 1.11 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the Country at an estimated  cost  of  Rs.  79,178  Crore  to  harness  85  BCM  (Billion  Cubic  Metre)  of  water.    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.
- vi. Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has issued directives to the Chief Secretaries of all States and the Administrators  of all UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to  ground water / rain water harvesting.  30 States/UTs have made rain water harvesting mandatory by enacting laws  or  by  formulating  rules  &  regulations  or  by  including  provisions  in  Building  bye-laws  or through suitable Government Orders.
- vii. Ministry  of  Urban  Development  in  its  Draft  Model  Building  Bye-laws  (2015)  has  incorporated  a Chapter on Provision of Rain Water Harvesting.
- viii. CGWB has  been  organizing  mass  awareness  programmes  in  the  Country  to  promote  rain  water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.

*****

Annexure  referred  in  reply  to  Part  (a)  of Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  277 to  be  answered  on 17.12.2015 regarding 'Ground Water Level'

## CATEGORIZATION OF  BLOCKS/ MANDALS/ TALUKAS IN INDIA (As Per Year 2011)

| S.No.   | States / Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Over- Exploited   | Critical   | Semi- critica l   |
|---------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------|------------|-------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh               | 662                           | 41                | 7          | 42                |
| 2       | Telangana                    | 448                           | 42                | 8          | 55                |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh            | 11                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 4       | Assam                        | 27                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 5       | Bihar                        | 533                           | 0                 | 0          | 11                |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh                 | 146                           | 1                 | 2          | 18                |
| 7       | Delhi                        | 27                            | 18                | 2          | 5                 |
| 8       | Goa                          | 20                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 9       | Gujarat                      | 223                           | 24                | 5          | 13                |
| 10      | Haryana                      | 116                           | 71                | 15         | 7                 |
| 11      | Himachal Pradesh             | 8                             | 1                 | 2          | 0                 |
| 12      | Jammu &Kashmir               | 14                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 13      | Jharkhand                    | 210                           | 6                 | 0          | 5                 |
| 14      | Karnataka                    | 270                           | 63                | 21         | 34                |
| 15      | Kerala                       | 152                           | 1                 | 2          | 23                |
| 16      | Madhya Pradesh               | 313                           | 24                | 4          | 67                |
| 17      | Maharashtra                  | 353                           | 10                | 2          | 16                |
| 18      | Manipur                      | 8                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 19      | Meghalaya                    | 7                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 20      | Mizoram                      | 22                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 21      | Nagaland                     | 8                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 22      | Orissa                       | 314                           | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 23      | Punjab                       | 138                           | 110               | 4          | 2                 |
| 24      | Rajasthan                    | 243                           | 172               | 24         | 20                |
| 25      | Sikkim                       | 4                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 26      | Tamil Nadu                   | 1129                          | 374               | 48         | 235               |
| 27      | Tripura                      | 39                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 28      | Uttar Pradesh                | 820                           | 111               | 68         | 82                |
| 29      | Uttaranchal                  | 18                            | 0                 | 2          | 5                 |
| 30      | West Bengal                  | 271                           | 0                 | 1          | 53                |
|         | Total (States)               | 6554                          | 1069              | 217        | 693               |
|         | Union Territories            |                               |                   |            |                   |
| 1       | Andaman &Nicobar             | 36                            | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 2       | Chandigarh                   | 1                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 3       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli          | 1                             | 0                 | 0          | 0                 |
| 4       | Daman &Diu                   | 2                             | 1                 | 0          | 1                 |
| 5       | Lakshadweep                  | 9                             | 0                 | 0          | 3                 |
| 6       | Pondicherry                  | 4                             | 1                 | 0          | 0                 |
|         | Total (UTs)                  | 53                            | 2                 | 0          | 4                 |
|         | Grand Total                  | 6607                          | 1071              | 217        | 697               |

## CRITERIA FOR CATEGORIZATION

Over-Exploited : Stage of Ground water development - >100%, Significant decline in long term water level trend in either pre-monsoon or post-monsoon period or both Critical : Stage of Ground Water Development - >90% and <=100%, Significant decline in long term water level trend in both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period Semi-Critical : Stage of Ground Water Development - > 70% and <=100%, Significant decline in long term water level trend in either pre-monsoon or post-monsoon period