Lok Sabha Question No. 4358 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Storage Capacity of Reservoirs
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4358

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## STORAGE CAPACITY OF RESERVOIRS

4358.   SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV

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

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to expand its farmland under irrigation by the next three years, and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether a wide range of geographies, climatic conditions and crop patterns are likely to prohibit India from raising irrigation facilities beyond its optimum potential of 149 million hectares;
- (c) if so, the facts thereof along with the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether new reservoirs are needed to raise storage capacity of 450 billion cubic metres from the current 250 billion cubic metres to realise the said potential and if so, the response of the Government thereto; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to raise storage capacity of reservoirs to reduce the dependence on monsoon rains?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) Yes, Madam. The Government is contemplating to expand its farmland under irrigation by the next three years.

As per information available  in  CWC,  the  Ultimate  Irrigation  Potential  estimated  for  the  country  is 139.9  Million  Hectare  (Mha).    Irrigation  Potential  of  113.53  Mha  has  been  created  upto  March,  2013. Additional  Irrigation  Potential  of  7.6  Mha  is  targeted  through  completion  of  99  priority  projects  under PMKSY/AIBP component by December, 2019. In addition to this, other projects are also under execution by the States.

Further,  Interlinking  of  Rivers  would  bring  additional  35  Mha  irrigation  potential  creation  over  and above 139.9 Mha. Also, other storage projects e.g. Pancheshwar, Siang and other multipurpose projects will facilitate bringing the entire gross cropped area, to the tune of 199 Mha under irrigation.

(d)  &  (e) The  reassessment  of  live  storage  capacity  of  completed,  under  construction  and  under consideration projects was carried out in 2010. As per this assessment, live storage capacity of completed, under construction and under consideration projects were 253.33 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM), 50.959 BCM and 104 BCM respectively. The Working Group on Major and Medium Irrigation for XI Plan estimated the loss  of  reservoir  capacity  by  2050  due  to  silting  of  reservoirs  as  53  BCM  and  thus  balance  live  storage capacity that would be available by 2050 is about 355 BCM.

For harnessing of 690 BCM of utilizable surface water, it is estimated that approximate live storage capacity of 450 BCM is required. Thus, new storage projects with storage capacity of about 95 BCM are required  to  be  identified  and  completed  by  2050  in  addition  to  completion  of  all  under  construction  and under consideration projects.

Water  being  a  State  subject,  planning,  execution,  operation  and  maintenance  of  water  resources projects  including  dams  and  canals  are  undertaken  by  the  concerned  State  Governments  as  per  their  own resources  and  priorities.  In  order  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  State  Governments,  Central  Government provides technical and financial assistance to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of  water  resources  through  various  schemes  and  programmes  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana (PMKSY) etc.

*****