Question : LOSS OF RAINWATER

(a) the details of the amount of rainfall received, the amount of rainfall stored and the amount lost every year in the country;

(b) the details of the measures taken to check the losses;

(c) the storage capacity required to hold water flowing down to sea;

(d) the details of the storage capacity created so far;

(e) whether management of annual rainfall would be termed satisfactory; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES & MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI VINCENT H. PALA)

(a) & (b) As per the information available from Indian Meteorological Department, the average normal rainfall in India is taken to be about 1196 mm which corresponds to annual precipitation of 4000 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM) including snowfall. Nearly 75% of this i.e 3000 BCM occurs during the monsoon season confined to 3 to 4 months ( June to September) in a year. After accounting for the natural process of evaporation, evapo-transpiration, use by natural vegetation, rainfed agriculture etc., the average annual water availability in the country is estimated as 1869 BCM. It is estimated that owing to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water is 1123 BCM, comprising of 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM from ground water resources.

(c) The National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD) in its report has projected total storage capacity requirement of about 458 BCM.

(d) As per a tentative assessment made by the Central Water Commission, the live storage capacity created in the country is 225 billion cubic meter ( BCM). Apart from it, projects with live storage capacity of 64 BCM are under construction and 108 BCM are under consideration for construction by the various state governments.

(e) & (f) Water being state subject, water storage projects are planned, executed and funded by the respective state governments as per their own priority. However, the Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments with a view to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programme. Central grant is provided to States under various schemes/ programmes of Ministry of Water Resources namely “ Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), “ Command Area Development and Water Management Programme (CAD & WM)”, and “ Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water Bodies”. Ministry of Water Resources also encourages measures for sustainability of water resources particularly ground water resources.