Lok Sabha Question No. 848 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-21
Subject: Revival of Water Bodies
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SATYA PAL SINGH

## †848.      SHRI SATYAPAL SINGH

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

(a)  the  steps  being  taken  to  revive  the  small  rivers  and  ponds  drying  due  to  depletion  in  ground  water  levels leading to a number of blocks becoming dark zones in the country including Uttar Pradesh;

(b) whether the Government has any plan to revive the barasati rivers which have dried up due to declining water level and their area have been converted into agricultural land in various parts of the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 848

## ANSWERED ON 21.07.2016

## REVIVAL OF WATER BODIES

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (c )  Works  related  to  water  resources  development  &  management  are  planned,  funded,  executed  and maintained by the State Governments themselves as per their own resources and priorities. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes such as Accelerated Irrigation  Benefits  Programme  (AIBP)  and  scheme  for  Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies, etc.

As far as this Ministry is concerned, following steps have been taken in this regard;

(i) Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  notified  162  areas  (Districts,  Blocks,  Mandals,  Talukas, Municipal areas, etc.) in the country for regulation of ground water development and management and restriction on  installation  of  new  ground  water  abstraction  structures  without  prior  specific  approval  of  the  Authorized officers.

(ii) Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  formulated  a  scheme  'Ground  Water  Management  and Regulation' during XII Plan which  , inter-alia,  envisages  aquifer  mapping  and  management  program, participatory management of groundwater involving Panchayati Raj Institutions, local communities, NGOs and other stakeholders for ensuring sustainable management of groundwater resources in the Country etc.

(iii) CGWB has implemented demonstrative rain water harvesting and artificial recharge projects for facilitating State Governments to replicate the same in similar hydrogeological environment.

(iv) Advisory has been issued to all the Chief Secretaries of the States and Administrators of the Union Territories by CGWA to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water/ rainwater harvesting.

(v) A scheme namely Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies which has multiple objectives like  Comprehensive  improvement  and  restoration  of  water  bodies  thereby  increasing  tank  storage  capacity, Ground Water Recharge, Increased availability of drinking water etc has been taken up.