THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)
(a) to (c) As per the National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) Report-1999, water requirement of the country for High Demand scenario for the year 2050 is 1180 BCM.
As per study titled “Reassessment of Water Availability in India using Space Inputs, 2019” conducted by Central Water Commission in collaboration with NRSC, the average annual water resources availability in the country is assessed as 1999.20 BCM. It is estimated that owing to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water is 1,126 BCM.
The Central Government formulated the National Water Policy in 1987, which was subsequently reviewed and revised in the year 2002 and 2012. The National Water Policy has been sent to all States/ UTs for appropriate action. National Water Policy (2012) inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. It also inter-alia, advocates conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner through community participation. Further, encroachment and diversion of water bodies and drainage channels must not be allowed and wherever, it has taken place, it should be restored to the extent feasible.
National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has carried out water balance studies of a number of basins/ sub-basins/ diversion points. After carrying out the studies, NWDA has identified surplus and deficit river basins for framing of link proposals for transfer of water.
Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2020 assessment, out of the total 6965 assessment units (Blocks/ Taluks/ Mandals/ watersheds/ Firkas) in the country, 1114 units in 15 States/UTs have been categorized as ''Over-exploited'' where the Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource.
(d) & (e) Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) and Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) were steps of the Government with involvement of officers and experts from stakeholder Ministries/ Departments for water conservation and rain water harvesting with people''s participation. There is no information available on involvement of Jal Mitra in JSA/ JSA:CTR, however, some of the States may have involved volunteers at their level in water conservation awareness campaigns.
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