The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), Government of India (GoI) has been conducting census of minor irrigation structures, quinquennially since  1986-87. Minor irrigation census does not count the number of water bodies in the country directly. However, data on water bodies is indirectly compiled from the census; but this information is limited to number of water bodies in villages used for minor irrigation. The number of water bodies used for irrigation derived from 5th minor irrigation census (reference year 2013-14) was 5,16,303 (State-wise information at Annexure I).

DoWR, RD & GR has launched the first census of water bodies in convergence with the sixth round of minor irrigation census (reference year 2017-18) under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”. The objective of the census of water bodies is to develop a national database for all water bodies by collecting information on all important aspects of the subject including their size, condition, status of encroachments, use, storage capacity etc. Presently, the field work and data processing activities of the first census of water bodies is nearing completion in various States/UTs. Therefore, the total number of water bodies in the country is not available. However, as per currently available data, the tentative figures of State-wise number of water bodies is provided in Annexure II.  

Comparison between 5th minor irrigation census data and 6th minor irrigation census data is not feasible because the 6th minor irrigation census is not yet completed.

As per currently available data of first census of water bodies, the State-wise number of cases of encroachment of water bodies is provided in Annexure II.

 Works related to enumeration of water bodies, their protection from encroachment, or diversion for use for other purposes, come under the purview of the State Government concerned. GoI has been sensitising State Governments regarding the importance of water bodies for socio economic development and sustainable water security to the local population. Need for taking necessary steps for keeping all the water bodies encroachment free, such as inclusion of water bodies in land records and making them integral part of town planning process, removal of encroachments, etc. is also being emphasised to the State Governments from time to time.

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

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Annexure-I

 

5th Minor Irrigation Census (2013-14) State wise Number of Water Bodies used for Minor Irrigation

(Surface Flow Schemes - Reservoirs, Tanks, Other Storages) (Surface Lift Schemes - Lift on Tanks/Ponds)

 

S. No	State	Water bodies (with MI scheme)
1	ANDHRA PRADESH	41,209
2	ARUNACHAL PRADESH	67
3	ASSAM	2,224
4	BIHAR	2,557
5	CHHATTISGARH	9,297
6	GOA	740
7	GUJARAT	39,333
8	HARYANA	170
9	HIMACHAL PRADESH	1,941
10	JAMMU & KASHMIR	91
11	JHARKHAND	48,144
12	KARNATAKA	39,744
13	KERALA	10,885
14	MADHYA PRADESH	26,513
15	MAHARASHTRA	1,14,988
16	MANIPUR	24
17	MEGHALAYA	261
18	MIZORAM	367
19	NAGALAND	291
20	ODISHA	35,536
21	PUNJAB	96
22	RAJASTHAN	12,296
23	SIKKIM	0
24	TAMIL NADU	32,108
25	TELANGANA	37,014
26	TRIPURA	17
27	UTTARAKHAND	11,292
28	UTTAR PRADESH	8,343
29	WEST BENGAL	39,580
30	ANDAMAN & NICOBAR	980
31	CHANDIGARH	0
32	DELHI	0
33	PUDUCHERRY	195
	Total :	5,16,303

 

 

Note 1:-Water bodies cover all natural or artificial units with some or no masonry work   used for storing water for minor irrigation. These are usually of various types known by different names like tank, reservoir, pond.                   

Note 2:-In MI Census information is collected for villages/ rural areas only.                                  

Note 3:-The above data pertains to only those water bodies where some minor irrigation scheme(s) is/are installed or those water bodies which function as surface flow schemes.                           

Note 4:-5th Minor Irrigation Census was not conducted in Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu    

        Annexure-II

 

State wise number of water bodies and number of encroachments reported in the first Census of Water bodies (Provisional)

 

S.No.	States/UTs	Total number of water bodies reported	Total number of encroachments reported
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
1	ANDHRA PRADESH	1,90,777	3,920
2	ARUNACHAL PRADESH	993	0
3	BIHAR	45,793	871
4	CHANDIGARH	188	0
5	GOA	1,463	8
6	GUJARAT	54,069	22
7	JHARKHAND	1,07,598	560
8	KERALA	55,734	111
9	MANIPUR	1,658	6
10	MEGHALAYA	13,332	6
11	MIZORAM	2,185	7
12	NAGALAND	1,432	1
13	PUNJAB	16,012	1,578
14	SIKKIM	134	0

 

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BY/AS

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