THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) to (d) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has prepared a conceptual document entitled “Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India” during 2013. The Master Plan envisages construction of 1.11 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the Country at an estimated cost of Rs.79,178 crores to harness 85 BCM (Billion Cubic Metre) of water. The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose. The document contains State-wise details of feasibility of artificial recharge through various types of structures suitable to the local conditions in respective States/Union Territories. The Plan takes into consideration the existing ground water conditions, long term ground water level behaviour, geomorphology of the area as well as the experience gathered during Pilot & demonstrative projects taken up in various parts of the Country. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.
Steps taken by the Government for rain water harvesting & artificial recharge are given below :
• The National Water Policy (2012) formulated by Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia, advocates conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through rain water harvesting, direct use of rainfall and other management measures. The National Water Policy (2012) has been forwarded to all State Governments/ UTs and concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central Government for adoption.
• This Ministry works in close coordination with Ministry of Rural Development for groundwater recharge, for focussed attention to overdrawn blocks. The details of Water
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Conservation & Watershed Management works undertaken by the MoRD are as under :
• Further, MoRD has taken up an extensive programme for construction of farm ponds; 882325 farm ponds are being constructed under MGNREGA during the current year. They would also help in recharge of groundwater.
• The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has suggested all States to adopt water conservation measures like roof top rainwater harvesting, erecting sustainability structures for water conservation etc. For creating such sustainability structures, 10% of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) funds are provided to the States. An expenditure of Rs. 573.79 crore was incurred during 2014-15, Rs. 195.94 crore in 2015-16 and Rs. 29.67 crore in 2016-17 (uptil 29.11.2016) for such works.
• Department of Land Resources is currently implementing 8214 watershed development projects in 28 States covering an area of about 39.07 million ha. under the Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) principally for development of rainfed portions of net cultivated area and culturable wastelands. The major activities taken up under the WDC-PMKSY, inter-alia, include ridge area treatment, drainage line afforestation, soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting, horticulture, and pasture development etc. An amount of Rs. 2284.63 crore was released as central share during 2014-15, Rs. 1487.83 crore in 2015-16 and Rs. 883.05 crore in 2016-17 (uptil 31.10.2016), for these works.
• CGWA has issued advisories to States and UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting. 30 States/UTs have made rain water harvesting mandatory by enacting laws or by formulating rules & regulations or by including provisions in Building bye-laws or through suitable Government Orders.
• This Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.
• CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme during XII Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. The Aquifer Mapping is aimed to delineate aquifer disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/area specific ground water management plans, with community participation.
• MoWR, RD & GR has also launched ‘Jal Kranti Abhiyan’ (2015-16 to 2017-18) in order to consolidate water conservation and management in the Country through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, making it a mass movement.
• CGWB has been organizing mass awareness programmes in the Country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water; more than 17 lakh children participated in a nation-wide painting competition in the last year to promote conservation of water.
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Sl.
No.
Work
Category
FY 2014-15
FY 2015-16
2016-17 as on 25/11/2016
Total Works
Expenditure
(Rs. In lakhs)
Total Works
Expenditure
(Rs. In lakhs)
Total Works
Expenditure
(Rs. In lakhs)
1
Water
Conservation
665700
312298.59
782585
399128.82
1144138
508227.89
2
Watershed Management
46675
158196.53
263464
188934.35
244898
181676.27
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