**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the utilization of riverine water in India, particularly in Rajasthan. The response, provided by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, outlines government initiatives for water resource management, including interlinking of rivers, dam projects, and schemes for improving water access and efficiency. It also addresses the Yamuna Water Agreement and provides data on water resources and usage. The response was answered on 29.01.2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **State vs. Central Roles:**
* Water management is primarily the responsibility of State Governments.
* The Central Government provides technical and financial assistance through schemes and programs.
* **Dam Capacities:**
* India has 6628 specified dams with a total Gross Storage Capacity of 330.022 BCM.
* Rajasthan has 315 specified dams with a total Gross Storage Capacity of 12.039 BCM.
* **Water Requirement Assessment:**
* As per a 1999 report, the country's total water requirement for high demand scenarios is assessed as 843 BCM for 2025 and 1180 BCM for 2050.
* **Inter-Basin Water Transfer:**
* The National Perspective Plan (1980) identifies 30 Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) projects.
* 3 of these projects pertain to Rajasthan: Yamuna-Rajasthan link, Rajasthan –Sabarmati link, and Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link.
* **Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY):**
* Launched in 2015-16 to enhance water access on farms and improve water use efficiency.
* 118 priority projects are included in PMKSY-AIBP. 70 projects were completed upto December 2025.
* Rajasthan has three priority projects under PMKSY-AIBP: Modernization of Gang Canal Project, Narmada Canal project, and Parwan Multipurpose Project.
* **Jal Jeevan Mission:**
* The Government of India assists states, including Rajasthan, with financial and technical assistance to provide functional household tap connections in rural areas.
* **Ground Water Resources:**
* Dynamic Ground Water Resources are assessed jointly by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments.
* The assessment year 2025 has been completed for all the 36 States/ UTs including Churu, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Nagaur districts of Rajasthan and the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2025 has been released.
* **Yamuna Water Agreement:**
* A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exists between basin states (Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi) regarding the allocation of the Yamuna River's surface flow.
* Haryana and Rajasthan signed an MoU for a project to transfer Rajasthan's share of Yamuna water from Hathnikund to Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and other districts via underground pipelines.
**Impact Analysis**
**Rajasthan State Government**
* **Impact:** Receives Central Government assistance for water resource management and benefits from interlinking of rivers projects and schemes like PMKSY and Jal Jeevan Mission. Is also a party to the Yamuna Water Agreement.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement state-level water management strategies and coordinate with the Central Government for various projects and schemes.
**Residents of Churu, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, and Nagaur Lok Sabha Constituencies (Rajasthan)**
* **Impact:** Potentially benefit from improved water availability due to the Yamuna Water Agreement, interlinking of rivers projects, and the Jal Jeevan Mission.
* **Action Required:** No direct action mentioned in the document.
**Central Government (Ministry of Jal Shakti)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for providing technical and financial assistance to State Governments, overseeing interlinking of rivers projects, and managing schemes like PMKSY and Jal Jeevan Mission.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support State Governments in water resource management and implement the National Perspective Plan for inter-basin water transfer. Complete the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Yamuna water transfer project.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: Central ministry responsible for water resources management, including river development and Ganga rejuvenation.
Rajasthan: A state specifically mentioned in the context of riverine water usage, dam capacity, water resource assessment, and Yamuna Water Agreement implementation.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): A national scheme to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation.
Yamuna Water Agreement: An agreement among basin states regarding the allocation of the surface flow of the River Yamuna.
National Perspective Plan (NPP): A plan for Inter-Basin Water Transfer with identified Interlinking of Rivers Projects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 201
ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026
UTILISATION OF RIVERINE WATER
†201. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) the quantum of riverine water used for various purposes in the country, particularly in Rajasthan;
(b) the details of the plans/programmes formulated for the optimum utilisation of riverine water;
(c) whether the Government has conducted any survey to assess the updated status of water resources in the
country, especially in Churu, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Nagaur Lok Sabha Constituencies and if so,
the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to implement the Yamuna Water Agreement in Rajasthan and if so,
the details thereof;
(e) the current status of progress of the said agreement, the expected timeline fixed for its commencement,
the areas of Churu district likely to benefit therefrom; and
(f) the total expenditure likely to be incurred and the respective share borne by the Union Government and
the State Government of Rajasthan?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) & (b) ‘Water’ being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management
and utilization 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.
As per National Register of specified Dams 2025 of National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), total
Gross Storage Capacity of 6628 specified Dams of the country is 330.022 BCM and total Live Storage
Capacity of these specified Dams is 265.544 BCM. The State of Rajasthan has 315 specified Dams on
various rivers. Total Gross Storage Capacity of these specified Dams of Rajasthan is 12.039 BCM and Live
Storage Capacity of these specified Dams is 9.659 BCM. The storage of these specified Dams is used for
various purposes.
As per the report of National Commission for Integrated Water Resource Development (NCIWRD-
1999), total water requirement of the country for different uses for high demand scenario for the years 2025
and 2050 has been assessed as 843 BCM and 1180 BCM respectively is given below:
1S.N Uses Year 2025 (for high demand) Year 2050 (for high demand)
(in BCM) (in BCM)
1 Surface water
2 Irrigation 366 463
3 Domestic 36 65
4 Industries 47 57
5 Power 26 56
6 Inland Navigation 10 15
7 Environment - 10 20
Ecology
8 Evaporation losses 50 76
Total 545 752
Ground water
1 Irrigation 245 344
2 Domestic 26 46
3 Industries 20 24
4 Power 7 14
Total 298 428
Grand total 843 1180
Government of India formulated National Perspective Plan (NPP) in year, 1980 for Inter-Basin
Water Transfer and 30 Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) Projects have been identified under NPP (16 link
projects under Peninsular component and 14 link projects under Himalayan component). These link
projects have been designed judicially by considering all engineering parameters for optimum utilization of
water. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with work of Interlinking of
Rivers (ILR). Out of these 30 link projects, 3 link projects pertain to Rajasthan viz; Yamuna-Rajasthan
link project, Rajasthan –Sabarmati link project and Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link project.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched during the year 2015-16, with an
aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation,
improve on-farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc. Accelerated
Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) component of PMKSY is mainly for creation of irrigation potential
through expeditious completion of major and medium irrigation projects. Command Area Development
component deals with on farm irrigation development and participatory irrigation management.
118 priority Projects of the country are included in PMKSY-AIBP from 2016-17 to 2024-25, out of
which 70 Projects were completed upto December 2025. Three priority project of Rajasthan State, namely
(i) Modernization of Gang Canal Project, (ii) Narmada Canal project and (iii) Parwan Multipurpose Project
are included in PMKSY-AIBP. Further, Five more Projects are also funded through PMKSY-AIBP (i)
RenukaJi National Project (ii) Lakhwar National Project (iii) North Koel National Project (iv) Shahpur
Kandi Dam National Project (v) Rajasthan Feeder &Sirhind Feeder (Special package ).
Under Jal Jeevan Mission, Government of India assists States by providing financial and technical
assistance including Rajasthan to provide functional household tap connection to all rural households.
(c) The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro-
meteorological and geological factors. As per study titled “Assessment of Water Resources of India- 2024”
2conducted by Central Water Commission, the average annual water resources in river basins of the country
has been assessed as about 2116 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM).
Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being assessed every year from 2022 jointly by
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. For the assessment year 2025, the
assessment has been completed for all the 36 States/ UTs including Churu, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and
Nagaur districts of Rajasthan and the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India,
2025 has been released.
Further, as per the 2025 assessment, the total Annual Ground Water Recharge for the country is
448.52 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) and the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 407.75 BCM.
The groundwater resource status (as per Assessment 2025) for the districts falling in/covering Churu,
Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Nagaur Lok Sabha Constituencies (Rajasthan) is as under:
Constituency Name of Total Annual Annual Annual
District Ground Water Extractable Ground Water
Recharge Ground Water Extraction
(Ham) Resource (Ham) (Ham)
Churu Churu 16810.58 15541.57 20029.38
Hanumangarh 22865.56 20579.01 13448.76
Bikaner Bikaner 31327.94 28195.15 39635.01
Ganganagar 48103.32 43292.97 17478.43
Jhunjhunu (Jhunjhunu and Jhunjhunu 24929.07 22436.15 51052.73
Part of Sikar) & Sikar (Part Sikar 38570.42 34927.43 66832.1
of Sikar and Part of Jaipur Jaipur 78890.77 71377.76 154900.23
Nagaur Nagaur 64740.24 58659.2 109830.72
(d) to (f) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the basin States, namely Uttar Pradesh,
Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi regarding the allocation of
the surface flow of the River Yamuna upto Okhla on 12.5.1994. In order to implement the said MoU, Upper
Yamuna River Board (UYRB) and Upper Yamuna River Committee (UYRC) were constituted in accordance
with the provision of the MoU. After creation of Uttaranchal State in 2000, the resolution was modified to
include Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand) in the Board.
UYRB has approved seasonal distributions of flows from various distribution points in its 42nd meeting.
The water is distributed among the basin States in accordance with the distribution made by UYRB.
Further, An MoU was signed by Haryana and Rajasthan for preparation of Detailed Project Report
(DPR) jointly by the Governments of Haryana and Rajasthan for project for transfer of Rajasthan Share of
Yamuna water from Hathnikund to Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and other Districts of Rajasthan through
underground pipelines.
As per the above MoU, the Phase-1 of the project envisages transfer of water through underground
pipelines during July to October upto 577 MCM for drinking water supply and other requirements for Churu,
Sikar, Jhunjhunu and other Districts of Rajasthan after utilisation of full capacity (24,000 cusec) of Western
Yamuna Canal by Haryana including Delhi share at Hathnikund Barrage. Both States have formed Task Force
for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR).
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