Parliament Question: Villages Deprived of Water in Banaskantha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2221 ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026 VILLAGES DEPRIVED OF WATER IN BANASKANTHA †2221. Smt. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the number of villages in Banaskantha district still deprived of canal water despite the Narmada project being operational for many years;

(b) the reasons for delay in completion of branch canals, pipelines and distribution networks in the said district;

(c) whether the delay in canal irrigation has led to a decline in groundwater levels and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the current status of potable water availability in the border and drought-affected talukas of Banaskantha; and

(e) the timeframe set for ensuring complete irrigation and drinking water coverage? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) & (b) Water being a state subject, it is for the State Government concerned to plan, execute, operate and manage the Water Resources projects. In order to supplement their efforts, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources.

Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited has informed that a total of 231 villages of Banaskantha district fall under the command area, as per the planning of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Project, and has been covered for canal irrigation. The canal network under this project including main canals, branch canals, pipelines and distribution system has been completed in accordance with the approved project planning.

(c) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under Ministry of Jal Shakti monitors groundwater levels throughout the country including Banaskantha District of Gujarat, four times in every year during the months of March/April/May, August, November and January.

In order to assess the long-term fluctuation in ground water level, groundwater level data of November 2025 for Banaskantha district has been compared with the decadal mean of data of November (2015-2024).

Analysis of this data indicates that about 81.3% of the well monitored have registered rise in groundwater level.

(d) & (e) Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board has informed that out of 821 villages, 782 villages are currently covered through surface source based water supply schemes and remaining 39 villages are also planned to be covered through the same.

As per studies of CGWB, the annual groundwater extraction in Banaskantha district has been assessed as

144442.01 hectare-metre. *****