(a) whether it is a fact that the work of maintenance/construction in respect of water
reservoirs has been too slow in the 12th Five Year Plan ;
(b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
(c) the steps taken by the Union Government in this regard so that the said work could
be expedited in the 12th Five Year Plan; and
(d) the success achieved so far as a result of the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES ( SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) & (b) Water, being a state subject, maintenance and construction of water reservoirs
are carried out by the State Governments from their resources as per their needs and priorities.
However, Ministry of Water Resources provides central assistance under Accelerated Irrigation
Benefit Programme (AIBP) to the State Governments in order to expedite completion of ongoing
projects including construction of projects of water reservoirs. Enhanced allocation of funds
for AIBP has been provided in the 12th Plan.
(c) & (d) In regard to maintenance, as mentioned above, the responsibility for proper
maintenance of dams lies with dam owners, who are generally State Governments or Public Sector
Undertakings. However, as far as regular maintenance of state dams are concerned, it is broadly
gathered from discussion in the meetings of National Committee on Dam Safety that overall
maintenance of existing dams in the States is inadequate. A high level Committee called
‘National Committee on Dam Safety’ has been constituted by the Government of India, which
advices the State Governments and other dam owners on all aspects of dam maintenance and
their safety. Necessary guidelines in respect of regular safety inspections of dams have
also been issued by the Central Water Commission. Further, for improving the conditions
of distressed dams, Union Government is implementing a ‘Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement
Project (DRIP)’ with assistance of World Bank targeting rehabilitation of 223 dams in four
states (Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu) and with scope for rehabilitation of
additional dams in some more States. With a view to achieving proper surveillance, inspection,
operation and maintenance of all large dams in the country, the Union Government has also placed
the “Dam Safety Bill, 2010†in the Parliament on 30th August, 2010, and is now in the process
of introducing a modified new Bill incorporating recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Water Resources.