Lok Sabha Question No. 4232 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Targets and Achievements under Schemes/Projects
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: YERRAM VENKATA SUBBAREDDY

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4232

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## TARGETS AND ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER SCHEMES/PROJECTS

## 4232. SHRI Y.V. SUBBA REDDY

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

- (a) the details of achievements  made  by  the  Ministry during the last  two years under different schemes/projects;
- (b) the details of areas where the Ministry has fallen short of its targets and where it has excelled;
- (c) the details of difficulties faced in achieving the targets and suggestions made to overcome them;
- (d) the targets set for the coming three years and roadmap prepared to achieve the same; and
- (e) the details of core areas where the Ministry is going to focus on in the coming three years?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e)  In the last two years, this Ministry has taken a number of initiatives for water sector reforms.  A major project has been launched for completion of ongoing 99 projects under AIBP, in the next four years. This  will  create  an  irrigation  potential  of  7.6  mha.  The  Pancheshwar  Development  Authority  has  been established to implement the Multi-Purpose Pancheshwar Project in joint collaboration with Govt. of Nepal. The project envisages construction of a 315 m high dam on river Sarda / Mahakali to store 12.2 BCM of water; generate about 8200 million units of energy through an installed capacity of 5060 MW; and irrigate 3.7 lac hectares.

Polavaram  Project  Authority  has  been  set  up  for  timely  implementation  of  the  Polavaram  Project.    This Project will create an annual irrigation potential of  4.36 lakh ha in  East Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna districts in Andhra Pradesh. In addition, it envisages water supply of 23.44 TMC (0.66 BCM) for Vishakhapatnam township and steel plant and other en-route requirements. 80 TMC of water from the project will be diverted to Krishna basin. The project will have an installed capacity of 960 MW; and generate 2308 MU of electricity annually.

The Government has approved the implementation of the Namami Gange Programme at a cost of Rs. 20000 crores.  As  on  30th  June  2016,  97  projects  have  been  sanctioned  under  Namami  Gange  programme  in  53 towns at an estimated project cost of Rs. 8588.21 crore. In addition, the Government recently launched 231 entry level and medium term projects under Namami Gange on 7th July, 2016. These projects include Ghat Development, Crematoria, setting up of Sewage treatment plants, afforestation etc.

Dam  Rehabilitation  and  Improvement  Programme  (DRIP),  a  World  Bank  assisted  programme  has  been launched  to  improve  the  safety  and  performance  of  existing  dams  and  to  strengthen  the  dam  safety institutional set up. Presently, 225 dams in seven States have been selected to be covered under this project.

The National Hydrology Project has been launched at a cost of Rs. 3680 crores for improving the decisions support systems in the water resources sector in the country. The Flood forecasting scheme is being further strengthened at a cost of Rs. 281 crores to cover the hitherto uncovered areas and introduction of telemetry systems, for timely warnings.

India Water Week has been organized in the last two years with two leading water resources countriesAustralia  and  Israel.    The  major  outcomes  of  the  programmes  were  highlighting  the  issues  in  the  water governance, water sector reforms and showcasing the best practices in these two countries.

An area of 5.25 lakh sq.km in 8 States has been prioritized for aquifer mapping and preparation of aquiferwise  groundwater  management  plans.    CGWB  has  prepared  a  roadmap  for  State-wise,  area  specific requirements alongwith quarterly and monthly timelines for data generation, preparation of aquifer maps and development of groundwater management plans.

Greater effort is required for reducing the gap between irrigation potential created and irrigation potential utilized;  the  participatory  irrigation  management;  recycling  waste  water;  managed  aquifer  recharge  of groundwater; activation of river basin organisations; drought proofing of vulnerable areas and an improved MIS system for tracking the progress.

Completion of Namami Gange project, Development of Water Resource Information System, Completion of Identified priority projects, Aquifer Mapping and Management Plan, Real Time Ground Water Monitoring, Ground  Water  Resource  Estimation,  Addressing  Ground  Water  Contamination,  River  Rejuvenation, Development of web-based applications for e-governance activities are  some  of  the  core  areas  where  the Ministry would focus in the coming three years. Focused efforts will be made to enhance the capacity of the water resources team to meet these and other emerging challenges.

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