The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro-meteorological and geological factors. However, water availability per person is dependent on population of a country. The per capita water availability in the country is reducing due to increase in population. Due to high temporal and spatial variation of precipitation, the water availability in many regions of the country is below the national average and maybe facing water stress / scarce conditions.

Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes.

Government of India, in partnership with State, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024.

Government of India has launched AMRUT 2.0 on 1^st October, 2021, covering all the statutory towns of the country to ensure universal coverage of water supply & make cities ‘water secure’.

To ensure optimum utilization of water, Government of India has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) from 2015-16 onwards. Under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), 99 ongoing major/medium irrigation projects were prioritized during 2016-17, in consultation with States out of which AIBP works of 50 prioritized projects have been reported to be completed. The extension of PMKSY for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 has been approved by Government of India, with an overall outlay of Rs. 93,068.56 crore.

The Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) Programme has been brought under PMKSY - Har Khet Ko Pani from 2015-16 onwards. The main objective of taking up CAD works is to enhance utilisation of irrigation potential created, and improve agriculture production on a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).

The Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) has been set up for promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, industrial and domestic sector. The Bureau will be a facilitator for promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries, etc., in the country.

“Sahi Fasal” campaign was launched to nudge farmers in the water stressed areas to grow crops which are not water intensive, but use water very efficiently; and are economically remunerative; are healthy and nutritious; suited to the agro-climatic-hydro characteristics of the area; and are environmentally friendly.

The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24^th April, 2022 as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with an objective to conserve water for future. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) - 2022 campaign, the third in the series of JSAs, has been launched on 29.3.2022 to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country. The focused interventions of the campaign include (1) water conservation and rainwater harvesting (2) enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation based on it (3) Setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts (4) intensive afforestation and (5) awareness generation.

The other important steps taken by the Central Government to control water depletion and promote rain water harvesting/conservation are available at the URL: http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water_depletion_july2022.pdf

An awareness generation campaign in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS) was launched on 21^st December, 2020 jointly by Minister of Jal Shakti and Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports. NYKS has been implementing the awareness generation campaign in the country since then. NYKS have engaged over 3.82 crore people in 36.60 lakh activities in the campaign through their many activities like rallies, Jal Choupals, quizzes, debates, slogan writing competitions, wall writings etc.

Public Interaction Programs (PIP) are being organised at grassroots level for disseminating the outputs of National Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQUIM) Studies for the benefit of the stakeholders. So far, 1300 such programs have been conducted in different parts of the country in which nearly one lakh people have participated.

Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training & Research Institute (RGNGWTRI), Raipur, Chhattisgarh, is the training wing of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. RGNGWTRI is conducting three different types of training (Tier-I, Tier-II, and Tier-III) for officers of Central Government/ State Government/ PSU/ NGO/ Academic Institutes.

Department of Water Resources, RD& GR has instituted National Water Awards and Water Heroes – “Share your Stories contest” to incentivize good practices in water conservation and ground water recharge.

Mass awareness programmes (Trainings, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibitions, Trade Fares and Painting Competitions etc.) are conducted from time to time each year under the information, Education & Communication (IEC) scheme of DoWR, RD & GR in various parts of the country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a  written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AS

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