Lok Sabha Question No. 3122 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-04
Subject: Depletion of Ground Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: BHOLA SINGH

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO. 3122

ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016

## DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER

## 3122.          SHRI  BHOLA  SINGH

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  depletion  of  ground  water  is  worst  in  India  in  the world  according  to  NASA's  Gravity  Recovery  and  Climate  Experiment  (GRACE)  satellites survey including all the States of our country especially Uttar Pradesh;

(b) if so, the State-wise details and facts thereof along with the reasons for the same;

(c)  whether  the  Government  is  planning/taking  any  steps/policy  measures  for  improving  the situation; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and progress made so far in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a)   &   (b) The   scientists   of   National   Aeronautics   and   Space   Administration (NASA) and  University  of  California, United  States  of  America  had  made  an  attempt  to  estimate ground  water  depletion    in  north-western    India    using    Terrestrial    Water  Storage    (TWS) change    observations  from  NASA  Gravity  Recovery    and  Climate    Experiment  (GRACE) satellite  data  for  the  period from  August,  2002  to  October,  2008.   The  study  has  been taken up in  an  area  of  about  4.4  lakh sq.km  covering  the  States  of  Rajasthan,  Punjab,  Haryana and  Delhi,  as  a  single   unit  without actual   field  mapping   of   ground   water   levels.   The study  has  indicated   that  ground   water  is deple ting  in the  aforementioned  four  States  at  a mean  rate  of  4.0±1.0  cm/year  equivalent    height  of  water  (17.7±4.5  cubic  km/year).  On review  of  the  results  of  the  study  by  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB),  it  was observed that the  GRACE  mission's  ground water storage studies  are satellite based estimates  and coarse resolution  of GRACE  data limits its applicability  to study ground  water dynamics.   CGWB  estimations  are,  however,  based  on  field  data  and  bring out smaller scale variations  in the ground  water storage pattern over a vast region.

(c) & (d) Steps/measures   taken  by  the  Central  Government  for  the  improving  the  situation includes:

i. "Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground  Water  in  India"  has  been  prepared,  which envisages    construction    of    different    types    of    Artificial    Recharge    and    Rainwater Harvesting    structures in  the  Country.  The  Master  Plan  has  been  circulated    to  all  State Govermnents for implementation.

ii. Special  focus  is  given  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee Act  (MGNREGA)   for  water  conservation    and    water  harvesting  structures    to  augment ground  water.   In addition,  priority  has been given for construction  of farm  ponds  in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.

iii. Department   of   Land   Resources,   Government  \_of   India   is  implementing   'Watershed Development   Component'   of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchaai  Yojana  (PMKSY) since 2015-16.  One   of   the   major   activity   under   the   'Watershed    Development Component', inter-alia,  includes rainwater harvesting.

iv. CGWB has undertaken the Demonstrative  Rain Water Harvesting and Artificial  Recharge Projects    during   XI   Plan   under   the   Scheme   of   "Ground    Water   Management    & Regulation",  in priority areas.

v. CGWB  has  taken  up  Aquifer  Mapping  and  Management  programme  during  XII  Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.   As on March 2016, mapping of 2.28 lakh sq. km area has been achieved.

vi. The  Ministry  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  State  have  adopted  and  enacted  suitable legislations  in line of Model Bill.

vii. This  Ministry  has  also  launched 'Jal kranti Abhiyan' (2015-16  to  2017-18)  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.    'Jal  Gram Yojana' component  of  'Jal  Kranti  Abhiyan'  envisages  selection  of  two  villages  in  every district,  preferably   'over-exploited  '  or  facing   acute   water  scarcity,   as   'Jal   Grams'   to ensure optimum  and sustainable utilization of water.

*****