Ministry of Jal Shakti
Major steps taken by Government for Water
Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting to reduce
Water Stress in the country
Posted On: 22 JUL 2024 6:00PM by PIB Delhi
Water conservation through rainwater harvesting is one of the foremost priorities of the Government, stated Union
Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Rajbhushan Choudhary, while giving a written reply to a question in
Rajya Sabha today. Major steps taken by the Government for water conservation and rainwater harvesting to
reduce water stress in the country are as follows:
i. Government of India has been implementing a scheme namely Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) which inter-alia includes water conservation and water
harvesting structures.
ii. Financial assistance is given to various States under 15th Finance Commission tied grants which can be
inter-alia utilized for rainwater harvesting.
iii. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has been implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) since 2019 on an annual
basis. In the current year, Ministry of Jal Shakti is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain
(JSA: CTR) 2024, 5th in the series of JSAs, in all the districts (rural as well as urban) of the country.
JSA: CTR is a convergence of various Central Government schemes and funds like MGNREGS, Atal
Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Per Drop More Crop, Repair,
Renovation and Restoration Components under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY),
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Finance
Commission grants, State Government schemes, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds etc. One
of the major interventions undertaken under the campaign includes constructions and repair or rainwater
harvesting structures including rooftop and water harvesting structures.
iv. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 has provisions for
harvesting the rainwater through storm water drains into water body (which is not receiving
sewage/effluent). Through preparation of ‘Aquifer Management Plan’ cities targets to strategize
groundwater recharge augmentation by developing a roadmap for improving rain water harvesting
within city limits. Through IEC campaign, awareness is created about practices for water conservation
like rainwater harvesting.
v. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has formulated guidelines for the States to adopt measures
suitable to local conditions, such as Unified Building Bye Laws (UBBL) of Delhi, 2016, Model
Building Bye Laws (MBBL), 2016 and Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and
Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014 with adequate focus on requirement of rainwater
harvesting and water conservation measures.
vi. Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, in 8,213 water stressed Gram Panchayats
(GPs) in 80 districts of 7 States, viz., Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The scheme marks a paradigm shift from groundwater development to
groundwater management.
vii. Government of India has been implementing “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)” with
an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured
irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices
etc. PMKSY has three components/ schemes namely Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP), Repair, Renovation
& Restoration (RRR) Scheme of Water Bodies and Surface Minor irrigation (SMI) Scheme.
viii. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has set up the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) under the
National Water Mission on 20.10.2022, to act as a facilitator for promotion of improving water use
efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation,
industries, etc. in the country.
ix. Mission Amrit Sarovar was implemented in the recent times with provisions for creation/rejuvenation
of at least 75 Amrit Sarovars in every district of the country with the purpose to harvest and conserve
water.
x. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has completed the National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM)
Project in the entire mappable area of about 25 lakh sq. km. which has been shared with the respective
State agencies for implementation. The management plans include various water conservation measures
through recharge structures.
xi. CGWB has also prepared a Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 in
consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different
terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. The Master Plan has provisions for
construction of about 1.42 crore Rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country
to harness 185 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM) of monsoon rainfall.
xii. CGWB, under Ground Water Management and Regulation Scheme, has also implemented several
successful artificial recharge projects in the country for demonstrative purpose which enable the State
Governments to replicate the same in suitable hydro-geological conditions.
xiii. National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR,
which inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and also highlights the need
for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
xiv. Department of Land Resources (DoLR) implements Watershed Development Component of Pradhan
Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) for the development of rainfed and degraded lands in
the country. The activities undertaken, inter-alia, include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment,
soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, pasture development, livelihoods
for asset-less persons etc. WDC-PMKSY, through these interventions, seeks to ensure sustainable
development through improved natural resource management and better resilience of farmers to
climate change.
Water is a State subject and the Central Government supplements the efforts of the States through technical and
financial support, the Minister added.
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VM
(Rajya Sabha US Q101)
(Release ID: 2035230)
