Lok Sabha Question No. 3192 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-04
Subject: Master Plan for Conservation of Water Resources
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO. 3192 ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016

## MASTER PLAN FOR CONSERVATION OF WATER RESOURCES

## 3192.            SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  a  master  plan  for  conservation  of  water resources, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government proposes to establish a mechanism to prevent the pollution of water resources, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to introduce any projects for protection of drinking water resources, if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  the  action  taken/to  be  taken  to  ensure  smooth  water  resources  conservation,  especially protection of drinking water sources/resources in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has prepared a conceptual document titled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge  to  Ground  Water'  -  2013  to  augment  the  ground  water  resources.  The  Master  Plan envisages construction of about 1.11 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in urban and rural areas at an estimated cost of Rs. 79,178 Crores 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. Master Plan has been circulated to the  State/UT  Governments  for  its  implementation  and  also  placed  in  public  domain  on  the website  Central  Ground  Water  Board.  National  Water  Mission  has  initiated  action  to  prepare State Specific Action Plans (SSAP) for water sector in respect of all the States/UTs which will present status of water resources development and management, water governance, institutional arrangements, water related policies, cross-boundary issues etc.

(b) Central  Pollution  Control  Board  and  the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  including Pollution Control Committees have been established under the Water Act, 1974 and have been empowered for taking effective action under the Water Act, 1974, Water & Cess Act, 1977 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change along with the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation have constituted  Water  Quality  Assessment  Authority  (WQAA)  w.e.f.  29 th may,  2001  under  the Environment  (Protection)Act,  1986  to  direct  the  concerned  agencies  for  taking  effective measures  so  as  to  mitigate  the  contamination  of  surface  and  ground  water.  The  Authority exercises powers under section 5 to Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

(c)  &  (d)    Though  rural  drinking  water  is  a  state  subject,  the  ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and Sanitation assists the State Governments technically and financially through centrally sponsored scheme namely National Rural Drinking Water  Programme (NRDWP). 10% of the allocation under  NRDWP  is  to  be  used  exclusively  to  achieve  drinking  water  security  by  adopting conjunctive  use  of  surface  water,  rain  water  and  ground  water  and  construction  of  water recharging  structures  to  ensure  sustainability  with  major  emphasis  on  water  quality  affected areas, overexploited, critical and semi-critical areas as specified by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and any other area that the State Government has identified as water stressed area.