Planning, funding, execution and maintenance of water resources projects, including building of check dams and road bridges cum multipurpose check dams, is in the domain of the State Government concerned. Role of Government of India is limited to providing technical support and in some cases, partial financial assistance under the existing schemes.

However, in order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Government of India has taken many important initiatives, key amongst of which are as below:

This Ministry is providing financial assistance to the identified surface minor irrigation projects, including those having provision of check dams, under Surface Minor Irrigation component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)-Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP). XII Plan onwards, a total of 6,213 number of such projects have been included for funding under this scheme. However, proposal from Government of Andhra Pradesh in this regard is awaited.

 In 2019, Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched by the Government. This was followed in 2021, by “Jal Shakti Abhiyan : Catch The Rain” (JSA:CTR) campaign. Focused intervention under these annual campaigns taken up by the Government of India and the State Governments, inter-alia, include drives to ensure maintenance of existing Water Harvesting Structures (WHS) like check dams, ponds, lakes etc and creation of new WHS where needed; repairs to step-wells and traditional Rain WHS; use of defunct bore-wells to recharge aquifers, etc. Under this campaign, 1,13,249 check dams have been built upto December, 2021, including 622 check dams in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

During 2018-2020, Central Ground Water Board under this Ministry has taken up artificial recharge project in the aspirational district of YSR Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, where 16 check dams have been constructed in Pulivendula Mandal.

 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) also has provisions for public works relating to natural resource management, water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment and improve ground water like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structures in public buildings.

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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