(a) whether the Government proposes to celebrate 2015 as water conservation year;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has any proposal to introduce special programmes for optimal use of water resources in the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)
(a) to (d) Yes, Madam. The Government has decided to celebrate “Jal Kranti Abhiyan” during the year 2015-16 in order to consolidate water conservation and management in the country through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, thereby making it a mass movement.
Jal Kranti Abhiyan has five components: Jal Gram Yojana; Development of Model Command Area; Pollution abatement; Mass Awareness Programme and Other Activities.
Jal Kranti Abhiyan has the following features / objectives:
Contd…P/2
//2//
(i) Planning and implementation of an integrated water security plan, water conservation, water management and allied activities to ensure optimum and sustainable utilisation of water for two villages in every district of India.
(ii) Undertaking works for show-casing the various concepts of water use efficiency “more crop per drop”, recycling of waste water, use of non-conventional energy, etc on Model command area of about 1000 hectare in states representing different parts of the country under existing schemes e.g. AIBP, RRR of water bodies etc.
(iii) Advocacy for water conservation, artificial recharge of ground water, Ground water pollution abatement etc. through appropriate training for efficient and sustainable use of rainwater;
(iv) Encouraging the adoption/utilization of traditional knowledge in water resources conservation and its management;
(v) Strengthening grass root involvement of all stakeholders including Panchayati Raj Institutions and local bodies in the water security and development schemes.
Further, the Government of India has launched National Water Mission with the objective of ‘conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management’. One of the goals of National Water Mission is ‘Promotion of citizen and state action for water conservation, augmentation and preservation’.
The recently launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has over-reaching vision to ensure access to some means of protective irrigation to all agricultural farms in the country, to produce ‘per drop more crop’, thus bringing much desired rural prosperity. PMKSY also focuses on use of urban treated waste water for irrigation purposes.
In addition, water being a State subject, the State Governments, depending on their priority and resources, formulate water storage and conservation schemes to ensure water availability during the lean season for meeting their water demands.
*****