(a) whether the Government have started a scheme to conserve water in all the villages
of the country;
(b) if so, the salient features thereof;
(c) whether the Government propose to devise techniques for water harvesting to
aid farming;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken in this regard;
(e) the expenditure likely to be incurred on the scheme; and
(f) the details of the work carried out and the funds proposed to be allocated during
the Tenth Five Year Plan, State-wise?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ANNASAHEB M.K. PATIL):
(a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement
(a) to (d) The Department of Land Resources is implementing three main Programmes namely
the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP), the Drought Prone Areas Programmes
(DPAP) and the Desert Development Programme (DDP) on watershed basis. Water conservation/
water harvesting is one of the components of watershed development projects which is to be
taken up in accordance with the local situation and need. However, no separate Scheme solely
for water conservation is being implemented by the Department. Various rainwater harvesting
techniques have been traditionally used in different parts of the country and the Department
has been supporting construction of water harvesting structures in the watershed development
project under the three Programmes.
(e) and (f) During the first year of the Tenth Plan i.e. 2002-03, an amount of Rs. 450.00
crores has been earmarked for IWDP, Rs. 250.00 crores for DPAP and Rs. 185.00 crores for DDP,
out of which an amount of Rs. 308.15 crores under IWDP, Rs. 227.14 crores under DPAP and Rs.
143.99 crores under DDP have been released to the programme districts for implementation of
watershed projects, till 20.02.2003. These funds are being utilised for execution of
development works that mainly aim at land development, soil & moisture conservation,
water conservation/water harvesting and plantation/pasture development. The Department has
proposed an allocation of Rs. 4765.00 crores for implementation of the aforesaid
three Programmes during the 10th Plan Period. State-wise allocations are not proposed as the
Programmes are implemented on watershed project basis, each project running for 5 years.
Release of funds to the districts is demand driven.