Question : DECLINE IN GROUND WATER LEVEL

(a) whether the availability of drinking water has been adversely affected due to the depletion in the ground water level in various parts of the country during the past few years;

(b) if so, whether any financial and technical assistance is proposed to be provided to the State Governments to remedy the situation; and

(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI ARJUN CHARAN SETHI)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) & (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF PARTS (b) AND (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 209 REGARDING DECLINE IN GROUND WATER LEVEL TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2001.

The provision for drinking water is planned, financed and implemented by the State Governments. The Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission under the Ministry of Rural Development has been assisting and guiding the States in the provision of safe drinking water to rural population under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme. In urban areas, the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation assists the States for provision of drinking water.

In so far as depletion in ground water level is concerned, the Central Ground Water Board under the Ministry of Water Resources have carried out ground water recharge experiments and rain water harvesting on pilot basis in various States of the country under its Central Sector Scheme on “Studies on Artificial Recharge of Ground Water”. The Government have earmarked funds amounting to Rs. 25.00 crore for the scheme during the IX Five Year Plan. State-wise details of the proposals approved under the scheme are given in enclosed Annexure. The approved proposals are expected to be implemented within 1-2 years.


ANNEXURE

REFERENCE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 209 DATED 06.08.2001

STATE-WISE DETAILS OF PROPOSALS APPROVED CONCERNING GROUND WATER RECHARGE SCHEMES

Sl.	State	Schemes	Approved	Status
No.	(Nos.)	cost (Rs. in Lakh)
1.	Andhra	10	54.55	Under implementation	Pradesh

2.	Assam	1	56.69	Under implementation

3.	Bihar	4	18.69	Under implementation

4.	Delhi	14	86.43	Four schemes completed and rest are under	implementation

5.	Gujarat 3	18.95	Under implementation
6.	Haryana 8	139.12	Three schemes are completed and rest	are Under implementation

7	Himachal Pr.	6	81.65	Three schemes are completed and rest	are under implementation

8.	J & K	11	190.19	One scheme completed and rest are under	implementation

9.	Jharkhand 6	28.04	Under implementation
10.	Karnataka 1	13.75	Under implementation
11.	Kerala 9	67.62	Five schemes are at final stage of	completion and rest are under implementation
12.	Madhya Pr.	5	53.85	Four schemes completed and rest are under	implementation
13.	Maharashtra 3	76.63	Under implementation
14.	Meghalaya 1	28.00	Under implementation
15.	Mizoram 1 28.00	Under consideration
16.	Nagaland 1 70.00	Under implementation
17.	Orissa 2 437.40	Under implementation
18.	Punjab 15	251.49	Six schemes completed and rest are	under implementation
19.	Rajasthan 13	84.27	One scheme is completed and rest	are under implementation
20.	Tamil Nadu 8 198.98	One scheme completed and rest are	under implementation
21.	U.P. 5	37.21	Under implementation
22.	Uttaranchal	1	2.00	Under implementation
23.	W. B. 8 167.82	Under implementation