(a) whether the Government has taken note of certain studies pointing towards a near desertification of various
States including Punjab due to the plummeting of water table;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of schemes/projects undertaken and funds made available and utilised for improving water table
level in the country during the last three years, State-wise and year-wise; and
(d) the outcome of such schemes/projects in improving water table?
THE MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND WATER RESOURCES ( SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL)
(a) to (d). A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 587 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.05.2012 IN LOK
SABHA REGARDING “FALL IN WATER TABLE LEVEL†ASKED BY SHRIMATI HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL.
(a) & (b) No such study pointing towards a near desertification of various states including Punjab due to plummeting
of water table has come into the notice of Central Ground Water Board under the Ministry of Water Resources. However,
Central Ground Water Board analysis of long term water level data during pre-monsoon period during the last decade
(May, 2002 – May, 2011) has indicated that 44 % of the observation wells monitored throughout the country have registered
decline in ground water levels and the remaining 56 % of the wells have registered rise. State wise details including
the state of Punjab are given in Annexure I. As per the latest assessment of replenishable ground water resources
carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board and State Ground Water Organization as on 2009, out of 138 blocks,
110 fall under ‘Over-exploited’ category, 3 in ‘Critical’ category and 2 in ‘Semi-critical’ and 23 in ‘Safe’ category.
District-wise details of over-exploited, critical and semi-critical blocks are given in Annexure II.
(c) Water being a state subject, state governments are implementing various measures to improve water table. Such
measures are also taken under centrally funded Schemes like MGNREGS and the National Watershed Development Programme
which are implemented by the states. Central Ground Water Board has been carrying out pilot/ demonstrative projects
on rain water harvesting and artificial recharge since VIII Plan period for replication by the State Governments under
similar hydrogeological environments. During XI Plan, demonstrative projects were implemented under the central sector
scheme of Ground Water Management & Regulation. An amount of Rs. 100 crore was allocated for the demonstrative projects
during XI Plan. A total of 133 projects costing 99.88crore in 21 states have been approved against which a sum of
Rs. 73.63 crore has been released towards first/ second installment. State wise details of cost of approved projects
along with year wise funds released and utilized during last three years are given in Annexure III.
(d) Encouraged by the positive impacts of experimental projects implemented during the VIII Plan, demonstrative
projects were taken up during IX, X and XI Plan periods. Impact assessment studies show that projects implemented
during IX and X Plan periods have resulted in local build up of water levels, sustainable yields of wells, increase
in irrigated area etc. State wise details of impact assessment studies of projects implemented during IX and X plan
are given in Annexure IV and V respectively.