THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) Growing urbanization, industrialization and population, amongst others, have resulted into declining ground water levels in various parts of the Country. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) carries out ground water monitoring, four times a year, on regional scale through a network of observation wells in the Country. Water level data for pre-monsoon 2016 compared with decadal mean of pre-monsoon (2006-2015) indicates decline in ground water level in 66% of the wells monitored. Details are given at Annexure –I.
The steps taken to control depletion of ground water level 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.
• CGWB has also prepared a conceptual document entitled “Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India” during 2013, involving ground water scientists/experts. 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 Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for adoption.
• Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under “The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986” for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country. So far, CGWA has notified 162 areas in the Country for the purpose of regulation of ground water. Under the CGWA guidelines, in notified areas, no permission is accorded to extract ground water through any energized means for any purpose other than drinking water. However, for non-notified areas, ground water withdrawal by industries is regulated by means of guidelines/criteria as specified as CGWA.
• 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.
(b) The Master plan for Artificial Recharge is a conceptual document circulated to the States for guidance and adoption. Water conservation and artificial recharge to ground water are being undertaken by the States/ Union Territories under various schemes including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) etc.
(c) Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR sponsors research projects pertaining to surface water, ground water and climate change under “Research & Development (R&D) Programme in Water Sector". The budgetary allocation for R&D programme in water sector and utilization for research pertaining to ground water during last three years and current year is given at Annexure-II.
(d) Measures taken by the Government for artificial recharge of water are as follows:
• Special focus is given through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water. In addition, priority has been given for construction of farm ponds in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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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ANNEXURE – I
Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 67 dated 02.02.2017 regarding “Artificial Recharge of Ground Water”
State-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Decadal Mean
Pre-monsoon (2006 to 2015) and Pre-monsoon 2016
S.No. Name of State No. of wells Analysed Rise Fall
No. % No. %
1 Andhra Pradesh 547 236 43 308 56
2 Arunachal Pradesh 14 10 71 4 29
3 Assam 182 84 46 98 54
4 Bihar 551 180 33 369 67
5 Chandigarh 11 4 36 7 64
6 Chhattisgarh 616 165 27 451 73
7 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 12 6 50 6 50
8 Daman & Diu 10 2 20 8 80
9 Delhi 115 26 23 89 77
10 Goa 70 41 59 29 41
11 Gujarat 738 254 34 475 64
12 Haryana 643 184 29 454 71
13 Himachal Pradesh 95 36 38 59 62
14 Jammu & Kashmir 225 83 37 142 63
15 Jharkhand 212 86 41 126 59
16 Karnataka 1380 415 30 949 69
17 Kerala 1240 454 37 779 63
18 Madhya Pradesh 1343 502 37 838 62
19 Maharashtra 1487 437 29 1041 70
20 Meghalaya 17 6 35 11 65
21 Odisha 1103 395 36 705 64
22 Puducherry 6 5 83 1 17
23 Punjab 613 129 21 482 79
24 Rajasthan 829 346 42 481 58
25 Tamil Nadu 587 345 59 242 41
26 Telangana 377 66 18 308 82
27 Tripura 28 21 75 7 25
28 Uttar Pradesh 629 95 15 534 85
29 Uttarakhand 44 21 48 23 52
30 West Bengal 899 310 34 589 66
Total 14623 4944 34 9615 66
Note: 64 wells show no change in water level
ANNEXURE - II
Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 67 dated 02.02.2017 regarding “Artificial Recharge of Ground Water”
Budgetary Allocation for R&D Programme in Water Sector of MoWR, RD & GR and Utilization for research pertaining to Ground Water
(During last three years and current year)
Year Allocation for R&D Programme in Water Sector
(Rs. in Lakhs) Utilization for research pertaining to ground water
(Rs. in Lakhs)
2013-14 1430.00 13.43
2014-15 1030.00 8.06
2015-16 355.00 6.27
2016-17
(Current Year ) 225.00 8.93
Total 3040.00 36.69
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