Question : Agricultural Production using Ground Water

(a) the percentage of agricultural production made by using ground water for irrigation purposes in the country;

(b) whether the depleting water table has adversely affected the production of foodgrains in the country including Tamil Nadu;

(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and the effective measures taken by the Union Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Union Government has assessed the current status thereof in every State/Union Territory;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to increase the ground water levels and funds allocated in this regard during the last five years, State-wise?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): As per available information, the net sown area in the country is 140.13 million hectare. The net irrigated area in the country is 68.3 million hectare which includes 41.08 million hectare irrigated by wells and tube wells.

(b) & (c): Though there are instances of depletion of ground water in some regions of the country, yet it has had no significant adverse impact on food grain production. The production of food grain in the country including Tamil Nadu has increased from 252.03 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 284.95 million tonnes during 2018-19 (4th advanced estimates).

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(d) & (e): The dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2017 assessment, total annual Ground Water recharge is 432 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) and the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 393 BCM. The Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses is 249 BCM, out of which 221 BCM is for irrigation use.

CGWB periodical monitors the ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells. In order to assess the decline in water level on a long-term basis, pre-monsoon water level data collected by CGWB during pre-monsoon 2019 has been compared with the decadal average (2009-2018). Analysis of water level data indicates that about 61% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water levels, mostly in the range of 0 – 2 m. Decline of more than 4 m has also been observed in pockets of most of the States/ UTs except Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Puducherry and Tripura. The States/UTs where more than 10% of monitoring wells show decline of more than 4m are - Delhi, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttarakhand.

(f): Central Ground Water Board is implementing the Central Sector Scheme on ‘Ground Water Management & Regulation’. Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including participatory groundwater management in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility. A number of States have done notable work in the field of water management/conservation such as ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan’ in Rajasthan, ‘Jalyukt Shibar’ in Maharashtra, ‘Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan’ in Gujarat, ‘Mission Kakatiya’ in Telangana, Neeru Chettu’ in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar etc. The important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water and effective implementation of rain water harvesting in the country is at www.mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps_to_control_ water_depletion_Jun2019.pdf.

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India. In this regard, teams of officers from Central Government along-with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti were deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level officials to undertake suitable interventions.

Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed location specific rainwater harvesting measures, technology for ground water recharge, conjunctive use of surface & ground water, and micro-irrigation for sustainable management and judicious use of groundwater resources in agriculture. The Council also imparts training and organizes frontline demonstration on these aspects.

Central Government supports construction of water harvesting and conservation works primarily through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana- Watershed Development Component (PMKSY-WDC). Micro Irrigation viz. Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation is being promoted under Per Drop More Crop component of PMKSY (PMKSY-PDMC) for enhancing water use efficiency at farm level. Crop diversification programme is also being implemented for encouraging water guzzling crops to be grown in more appropriate agro climatic regions and be replaced by less water intensive crops. Details of Central Assistance released to States under MGNREGS, PMKSY-WDC and PMKSY-PDMC are given at Annexure I, II and III.