(a) the details of schemes being run by the Government at present for water conservation including rainwater harvesting;
(b) the salient features of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in the field of water resources;
(c) the name of States which are adopting GIS based technology for harvesting rainwater; and
(d) the time by which the said technology is likely to be introduced in the entire country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)
(a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) had undertaken a component of Demonstrative Rain Water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge Projects during the XI Plan under the scheme of ‘Ground Water Management & Regulation’ in priority areas. The project aimed at facilitating State Governments for replicating recharge projects in similar hydrogeological environment.
(b) Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is a map based advance tool integrating various thematic pieces of information, which assist in evolving solutions for management of water resource. GIS is helpful in areas of Basin Planning, Irrigation Potential Assessment, identification of Water Resource Development project sites, Environment Impact Assessment studies as well as Environmental and Command Area monitoring, Rainfall Run-off modeling, Disaster Management, identifying feasible locations for wells and formulation of plans for managing groundwater resources on a local or regional scale.
(c) & (d) As per the information received from the State Governments, Chhattisgarh, Tripura, Meghalaya, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal have adopted GIS based technology for harvesting rainwater. However, no time-line has been fixed for adoption of the same for rain water harvesting in the entire Country.
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