Govt launches Rs 460 cr ground water management scheme

New Delhi, Aug 25 (UNI) The Central government has launched a Rs 460 crore scheme for management of ground water, Ministry of Water Resources said today.

Merging existing schemes, the new one will delineate potential ground water acquifers and hand over 2,500 drilled wells to state governments for augmentation of water supply, the Ministry added.

The objective of the new scheme is also to develop web-enabled ground water information services, design artificial recharge and rain water harvesting projects for replication by states and arrest depletion of ground water through regulatory measures.

As much as 7.5 square km area will be studied for ground water management in the country during the 11th plan, the Ministry said.

It plans to explore new aquifer areas through drilling of 4,000 wells and monitor water levels and quality through nationwide network of 15,500 observation wells.

The scheme-Ground Water Management and Regulation-also envisages 1,500 water supply investigations for defence,urban and other organisations and 75 artificial recharge and rain water harvesting studies in different states during the plan period.

The Ministry said Central Ground Water Authority has been given mandate to develop and disseminate technologies and monitor and implement national policies for the scientific and sustainable development and management of ground water resources in the country.

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