Lok Sabha Question No. 693 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-28
Subject: Supply of Water to Drought hit Areas
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: KIRTI (JHA) AZAD

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 693

ANSWERED ON 28.04.2016

## SUPPLY OF WATER TO DROUGHT HIT AREAS

## 693. SHRI KIRTI AZAD

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

(a)  whether  the  Government is  taking  any  steps  to  ensure  that  the  drought  hit  areas  in  the  country  are supplied adequate water;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether there are enough resources available to ensure adequate water supply to these areas;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the future plan of the Government to ensure adequate water supply in these areas?

## ANSWER

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

(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)

(a) to (d) The State Government is primarily responsible for taking necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities.  Government of India supplements the efforts of State Governments with financial assistance  and  logistic  support.  For  undertaking  relief  measures,  funds  are  available  with  the  State Governments in the form of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).  Additional financial assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe  nature  and  is  approved  on  the  basis  of  Memorandum  received  from  State  Governments  in accordance with established procedure.

An amount of Rs.10275.48 crores have been released for the year 2015-16 to State Governments. Further, the Central Government has released Rs.2551.875 crores as first instalment of Central share in SDRF to the 10 drought affected States for 2016-17.

(e) Several measures for meeting water crisis through augmenting, conserving and using water resources more efficiently are undertaken by the State Governments.  This Ministry provides technical and financial assistance  to  the  State  Governments  in  this  regard  through  various  schemes  and  programmes  viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme, Scheme for Repair, Renovation & Restoration of Water-bodies etc.

Central  Ground  Water  Board,  under  this  Ministry  has  prepared  a  conceptual  document  entitled  'Master Plan for Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India'  during  the  year  2013  envisaging  construction  of 1.11  crore  Rainwater  Harvesting  and  Artificial  Recharge  structures  in  the  country  to  harness  85  BCM (Billion Cubic Meters) of water. The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

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  such structures.

Central  Government  has  launched  the  National  Water  Mission  with  the  objective  of  conservation  of water,  minimizing  wastage  and  ensuring  its  more  equitable  distribution  both  across  and  within  States through integrated water resources development and management.

The  National  Water  Policy,  2012  has  been  formulated  which  has  made  several  recommendations  for conservation, development and improved management of water resources in the country.

Jal Kranti Abhiyan (2015-16 to 2017-18) has been launched in order to consolidate water conservation and  management  in  the  country  through  a  holistic  and  integrated  approach  involving  all  stakeholders, making it a mass movement.

Recycle  and  reuse  of  water,  after  treatment  to  specified  standards  as  well  as  rainwater  harvesting  and artificial  recharge  are  being  incentivized  through  various  initiatives,  programmes/  schemes  of  the Government.

Improved water  use  efficiency  in  different  sectors  such  as  in  irrigation  (through  micro-irrigation,  e.g., drip, sprinkler etc.), industry and households is being encouraged through various initiatives, programmes/ schemes of the Government.

This Ministry has also formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) envisaging inter-basin transfer of water.  The implementation of NPP would give benefits of approximately 35 million hectare of additional irrigation potential and 34000 mega watts (MW) hydro generation apart from the incidental benefits of flood  moderation,  navigation,  drinking  and  industrial  water  supply,  fisheries,  salinity  and  pollution control etc.

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