

Ministry of Jal Shakti

SCHEME FOR CONSERVING SMALL RIVERS

Posted On: 24 JUL 2023 6:14PM by PIB Delhi

Flow in the rivers is a dynamic parameters and depends on many sub-parameters such as rainfall, its
distribution pattern, duration and intensity in the catchment, health of catchment area, vegetation and
withdrawals/utilization of water. Central Water Commission (CWC) carries out the hydrological
observations on rivers across the country. The annual average flow data maintained by CWC for last 20
years for major/important rivers in the country does not indicate any significant decline in water
availability.

Government has taken number of steps including campaigns to make "Jal Andolan a Jan-Andolan" for
conservation of water and rejuvenation of small rivers. Some of them are as below;

1. Hon'ble Prime Minister launched the JSA: Catch the Rain (CTR) campaign on 22nd March 2021,
the World Water Day, with the theme – “Catch The Rain, Where it falls, When it falls” to cover all
the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country during the pre-monsoon
and monsoon period i.e. from March 2021 to 30 November 2021. The focused interventions of the
campaign included (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, rejuvenation of small rivers (3) Setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts (4) intensive
afforestation and (5) awareness [Link] its launch, Hon'ble Prime Minister wrote letters
dated 24.03.2021 to all Sarpanchs urging them to take steps for conservation of water and exhorted
to make water conservation a mass movement. Funds from MNREGA, finance commission grants
were also pledged for the water conservation works, including rejuvenation of small rivers, to be
taken up. during this campaign, a total of 46,76,852 water related works were completed/on-going,
in addition to 36,76,60,580 afforestation activities were carried out .
2. “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) -2022 was launched on 29.3.2022. During the
campaign period from 12,28,553 water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures were done
and 2,67,472 Traditional water Bodies were rejuvenated. 632 Jal Shakti Kendras were also set up
3. JSA: CTR 2023 was launched by Hon’ble President on 04.03.2023 for implementation across the
country with the theme “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water” during 04.03.2023 to
30.11.2023 will special focus on 150 Water Stressed Districts (WSDs) of the country.
4. Department of Water Resources, RD& GR has instituted National Water Awards and monthly Water
Heroes Contest to incentivize good practices in water conservation and ground water recharge.
5. Mass awareness programs (Trainings, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibitions, and Trade Fares etc.) are
conducted from time to time each year in various parts of the country to promote water conservation
initiatives including rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.
6. 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.
7. A joint advisory of Department of Rural development (DoRD), Department of Water Resources, RD
& GR (DoWR, RD & GR), Department of Land Resources (DoLR) and Department of Drinking
Water & Sanitation (DoDWS) was issued on 24.04.2020 to all States/UTs to emphasize efforts in
the area of water conservation and water management in the country essentially for rejuvenating
small rivers by engaging the communities through participatory mode. The activities include
augmentation of existing water sources(s), ground water recharge, rainwater harvesting and grey
water management and recharge.
8. Hon'ble Prime Minister launched Amrit Sarovar Mission on 24th April 2022. The Mission is aimed
at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as a part of
celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
9. Under Namami Gange programme for integrated rejuvenation of National River Ganga and its
tributaries, large numbers of smaller tributaries have been mapped along with their catchment area/
watershed and wetlands. A GIS based inventory of small rivers has also been created with additional
district wise information. ([Link] Restoration and rejuvenation of over
75 small rivers (lower order rivers/ tributaries of large rivers) leveraging support from MGNREGA,
UP and involving District Ganga Committee's in Ganga basin have also been attempted. Besides,
technical hand holding through Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga)
led by IIT Kanpur and other academic institutions viz., IIT-BHU, BBAU, NIH as being partnering
Institutions for providing scientific/ technical support.
10. Apart from these, state governments also have taken up many special programs for water
conservation and rejuvenation of smaller rivers. for eg, Under Small River Rejuvenation &
Conservation plan, 19 rivers have been identified & successfully taken up by UP government. These
rivers are River Tedi, Manorama, Pandu, Varuna, Sasur Khaderi, Sai, Gomti, Aril, Morva,
Mandakinim, Tamsa, Nad, Karnavati, Baan, Sot, Kali East, Dadi, Ishan and Budhi Ganga. For the
conservation and rejuvenation six projects on River Shivna, Mandakini, Rispana & Bindal, Kosi,
Budhi Gandak, Ramrekha with focussed interventions have been taken up in Ganga basin.

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

AS

(Release ID: 1942159) Visitor Counter : 1890