10-Feb-2022: National Natural Resource Management System (NNRMS)
The Scheme “National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS)” of the Ministry is a Central Sector Scheme. The prime objective of NNRMS scheme is utilization of Remote Sensing Technology for Inventorisation, Assessment and Monitoring of the country’s natural resources.
Major achievements of the scheme inter alia includes: (i) Development of knowledge based decision tool to simulate mechanism of vegetation change due to climatic change in Western Himalayan Ecoregion; (ii) Monitoring of Snow and Glaciers of Himalayan Region; (iii) Desertification Status Mapping of India; (iv) Soil and Water quality appraisal in the Salt Affected Land Forms of Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques; (v) Application of Remote Sensing for Integrated Land use, Water and Energy Management in Rural Areas: Exploring Energy Plantation Opportunities, Public Systems Group; (vi) Land use dynamics and its impact on microelements, structure, composition and diversity of Achanakmar - Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve using satellite remote sensing and GIS techniques; and (vii) Natural Resources Assessment of selected Eco-Tourism sites of Gujarat and its associated environments using remote sensing and GIS.
During last five years, the Ministry has provided grant of Rs. 1.00 Crore for continuing research studies and assessment projects.
3-Feb-2022: Khadi Prakritik Paint
Khadi Prakritik Paint has been developed from cow dung by Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI), Jaipur, a unit of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the administrative control of the Ministry of MSME. Khadi Prakritik paint is eco-friendly and cost effective. The Khadi Prakritik Paint developed by KNHPI has been tested at National Test House, Ghaziabad (Govt. of India), National Test House, Mumbai (Govt. of India) and Shri Ram Institute of Industrial Research, Delhi (An ISO certified test lab) and satisfies the parameters required for paint.
It is envisaged that manufacture of Khadi Prakritik Paint will promote local manufacturing, create sustainable employment and generate additional revenue for farmers and cow shelter homes and will also generate employment in the rural areas, which will improve the rural economy and help in controlling the migration from rural to urban areas, in the country.
Cow dung is a major constituent used in the manufacture of Prakritik Paint. 100 kgs. of cow dung is utilized for making 500 liters of paint. Therefore, setting up of paint units would be helpful in utilization of cow dung and thereby help in cleaning the environment.
KNHPI imparts training in manufacture of Khadi Prakritik Paint. Prakritik Paint manufacturing units are being set up under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) scheme of Ministry of MSME. The technology for the manufacture of Khadi Prakritik Paint has been provided to many units in villages in the country.
6-Dec-2021: NAQUIM programme
Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including preventing the depletion of groundwater reserves in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility. However, important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water and effective implementation of rain water harvesting in the country are available at the following URL:http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps_to_control_water_depletion_Feb2021.pdf. Some of the important initiatives in this regard are also given in Annexure.
In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/harvesting. Some of them can be mentioned as ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan’ in Rajasthan, ‘Jalyukt Shibar’ in Maharashtra, ‘Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan’ in Gujarat, ‘Mission Kakatiya’ in Telangana, Neeru Chettu’ in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, ‘Jal Hi Jeevan’ in Haryana, Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu etc.
National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM) is being implemented as a part of the Ground Water Management and Regulation scheme with the objectives to delineate and characterize the aquifers and develop plans for ground water management. Out of about 32 lakh Sq Km area of the country, a mappable area of around 25.00 lakh Sq Km has been identified by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) to be covered under this programme, out of which around 18.00 Lakh Sq Km of area has already been covered.
Further, the activities under NAQUIM are continuing in nature and are progressing as per the targets.
Important initiatives on management of groundwater resources
Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) 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. In this regard, teams of officers from Central Government along-with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti were deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level officials to undertake suitable interventions.
In addition, Ministry of Jal Shakti has taken up the “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) 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 22nd March 2021 to 30th November 2021. The campaign was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021.
Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR (DoWR, RD & GR) is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a Rs.6,000.00 crore Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation. Atal Jal is being implemented in 81 water stressed districts and 8774 Gram Panchayats of seven States viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in consultation with States/UTs has prepared ‘Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater - 2020’, which is an improvement of the earlier Master Plan – 2013. The Master Plan – 2020 is basically a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. The Master Plan - 2020 envisages construction of about 1.41gKFtogHYuTLgtmff2zbx9hk7DWS8VB612gDjf1YFPsfT66jV4UFCBNJSsUKKBpwf9y4CunA1UoucxSkm8NLtmRFxDFATc Billion Cubic Metre (BCM) of monsoon rainfall with an estimated cost of about Rs. 1.33 Lakh Crores.
National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM) is being implemented by CGWB as part of Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWM & R) Scheme, a Central Sector scheme. NAQUIM envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sustainable management of Ground Water Resources in the country. NAQUIM outputs are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.
Central government generally supports artificial groundwater recharge/water harvesting works in the country through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana - Watershed Development component (PMKSY-WDC), ‘Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) and Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies schemes’ a component of PMKSY (launched in 2015-16).
25-Mar-2021: NAQUIM
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is implementing National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM), which envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sustainable management of Ground Water Resources.
NAQUIM was initiated in 2012 as a part of the ‘Ground Water Management and Regulation’ scheme with the objectives to delineate and characterize the aquifers and develop plans for sustainable ground water management in the country. The State-wise information is shared with States/UTs for implementation.
Out of nearly 33 lakh sq km geographical area of the country, a mappable area of around 25 lakh sq km has been identified by the CGWB to be covered under this programme. So far, 15.57 lakh sq km areas have been covered.
The remaining area is targeted to be covered by Mar 2023.