Solution for Water crisis in India

Solution for Water crisis in India

Steps taken by the Central Government to control water depletion and promote rain water harvesting / conservation are as under:

1) Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA)

• JSA was launched in 2019, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India having overexploited groundwater levels.
• In addition, ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain’ campaign has been launched on 22 March 2021.
• To make water conservation a people's movement through schemes like MGNREGA.
• JSA is partly modelled and driven by some success stories like NGO Tarun Bharat Sangh's experiment in Alwar, RJ and Anna Hazare led efforts in Ralegaon Siddhi, MH.
• These projects involved building tanks and ponds to capture rainwater and building recharge wells to recharge groundwater.

2) National Water Policy (2012)

• NWP has been formulated by Department of Water Resources, RD & GR. It advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
• It also inter-alia, advocates conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner through community participation.
• Further, encroachment and diversion of water bodies and drainage channels must not be allowed and wherever, it has taken place, it should be restored to the extent feasible and maintained properly.

3) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)

• CGWA has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the “Environment (Protection) Act, 1986” for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country.
• CGWA has advised States/UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting. CGWA grants No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for ground water abstraction to Industries, Infrastructure units and Mining projects in feasible areas in certain States/UTs where regulation is not being done by the respective State/UTs.
• The latest guidelines for control and regulation of groundwater extraction with pan-India applicability was notified by the Ministry on 24 September 2020.

4) Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020

• It has been prepared by CGWB 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 envisages 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.

5) Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme

• 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.
• The management plans are shared with the respective State governments for taking appropriate measures / implementation.

6) Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme to improve groundwater management through community participation. Funding pattern is 50:50 between India and World Bank.
• Outlay is of Rs. 6000 crore. Implemented over 5 years i.e. 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• Ministry of Jal Shakti is adopting a mix of top down and bottom up approach to identify groundwater stressed blocks in8350 Gram Panchayats in 7 States (not all India) = UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• It will focus on participatory groundwater management, behavioral change in areas where groundwater is low. We should go for Crop diversification. Promote microirrigation.
• It has 2 components: Institutional strengthening and capacity building component and Incentive component for incentivizing States.
• ABY envisages active participation of the communities in various activities such as the formation of ‘Water User Associations’, monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation & implementation of Gram-panchayat-wise water security plans and IEC activities related to sustainable groundwater management.

7) Mission Water Conservation

• The Ministry of Rural Development in consultation and agreement with the Department of Water Resources, RD & GR and the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has developed an actionable framework for Natural Resources Management (NRM), titled ‘Mission Water Conservation” to ensure gainful utilization of funds.
• The Framework strives to ensure synergies in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), erstwhile integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) now PMKSY Watershed Development Component and Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM), given their common objectives.
• Types of common works undertaken under these programmes/ schemes are water conservation and management, water harvesting, soil and moisture conservation, groundwater recharge, flood protection, land development, Command Area Development & Watershed Management.

Other measures

• An ‘Inter Ministerial Committee’ under the Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR) has been constituted to take forward the subject of ‘Push on Water Conservation Related Activities for Optimum Utilization of Monsoon Rainfall’.
• Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for regulation of its development, which also includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 19 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation.
• Best practices of water conservation by various entities including private persons, NGOs, PSUs etc have been compiled and put on the web site of the Ministry for the benefit of general public. An interactive link on best practices has also been created for receiving inputs from public, which, after necessary evaluation/validation are put on the website for the benefit of the public.
• Department of Water Resources, RD& GR has instituted National Water awards 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.
• Central Government supports construction of water harvesting and conservation works primarily through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Watershed Development Component (PMKSY-WDC).
• Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL) 2016 circulated by Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs include provisions for Rainwater Harvesting and it has been shared with all the States / UTs. So far 32 States / UTs have adopted the provisions of rainwater harvesting of MBBL-2016.