As many as 19 States, Union Territories including Punjab and Haryana have so far adopted and implemented the central government's model law for regulating groundwater, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Jal Shakti Ministry has circulated a model bill to all the States/Union Territories 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 groundwater legislation," he said.
These include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry have also adopted the model law.
The Minister also highlighted that the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana – Har Khet Ko Pani – Ground Water Irrigation (PMKSY-HKKP-GW) aims to provide financial assistance to states for assured ground water irrigation to small and marginal farmers.
The scheme is applicable only in areas having a stage of ground water development of less than 60% average rainfall of more than 750 mm and with shallow ground water levels.
Under this scheme, 15 projects in 12 States namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Mizoram, Telangana, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Gujarat have been approved with an estimated cost of ₹1,718.49 crore since inception.
A scheme of Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) is also being implemented by the ministry to promote drip and sprinkler irrigation as a measure to save water.
On having a separate agri-budget, the minister said that there is no such proposal as on date.