(a) whether the Government has taken any initiative to enforce water auditing in domestic
as well as agricultural use;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any legal provisions stipulated to ensure optimum usage of water both for agricultural
and domestic purposes;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the measures the Government has taken to increase awareness among farmers for efficient and
optimum use of water both for agricultural and domestic purposes?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES & MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI VINCENT H. PALA)
(a) & (b) Central Water Commission has prepared “General Guidelines for Water Audit & Water Conservation
for Domestic, Irrigation and Industrial Purposesâ€. The guidelines broadly cover various steps of water
audit including water supply usage study, process study, system audit, discharge analysis and water
audit report. Aspects related to irrigation, domestic and industrial usages of water have been covered
in the report. The guidelines have been circulated to the States. Government of Maharashtra has initiated
the process of water auditing in the irrigation sector. Further, promotion of mandatory water audit
including those for drinking water purposes has been included as an important strategy in the draft
mission document for National Water Mission.
(c) & (d) Water is a subject managed by the State Governments as per Entry 17 of List II of the Seventh
Schedule of the Constitution. At present the Government of India does not have any law to ensure optimum
uses of water for both agricultural and domestic purposes.
(e) Ministry of Water Resources initiated Farmer Participatory Action Research Programme (FPARP) at 5000
demonstration sites at a cost of Rs. 24.46 crore in the year 2007-08 with an objective to enhance water
use efficiency in agriculture. This programme was taken up in 25 States/UTs of the country with the help
of 60 Agriculture Universities/Indian Council of Agricultural Research Institutes/International Crop
Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Water and Land Management Institutes and Non-Government
Organizations. Considering the overall benefit of the programme in terms of water saving, FPARP has
been extended for conducting 5000 additional demonstrations at a cost of Rs. 25 crore during remaining
period of XI Five Year Plan.
Ministry of Water Resources has taken up a scheme “Information, Education and Communication (IEC)â€
during the XI Five Year Plan under which various activities related to mass awareness are being
launched. Further, various State Governments have also taken up the programme for mass awareness
in respect of scarcity of water as also the need for maintaining the quality of water resources.
Ministry of Water Resources has actively associated various academic institutions, NGOs etc. in
the programme for mass awareness.