STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *161 TO BE ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 5.8.2010 REGARDING WATER STORAGE CAPACITY IN HIMACHAL PRADESH.

(a) to (c) The annual normal rainfall of Himachal Pradesh has been assessed to be about 1324 millimetre. The total live storage capacity of the completed and ongoing surface water projects and the projects under consideration in respect of Himachal Pradesh has been assessed to be about 15,092 million cubic meters (MCM). Creation of about 13,917 MCM of surface water storage for various purposes has been reported by the State. The storage capacity of the ongoing projects of Himachal Pradesh has been assessed to be 189 MCM. Storage capacity of projects under consideration is estimated to be about 986 MCM. Through the development of various water resources projects including minor irrigation projects, irrigation potential of 2.3 lakh hectare has been created out of the estimated ultimate irrigation potential of 3.5 lakh hectares.

The allocations for Himachal Pradesh under State Plan for various activities in the water sector for the last three years are as under.

(Rs. in crores)

Head	Year
Head	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Major & medium irrigation	116.00	130.00	85.00
Minor irrigation	120.62	140.63	137.13
Flood control	19.70	22.02	45.11
Command area development	3.50	3.50	3.50

Further, Government of India provides assistance to States under various programmes. The central grants released to Government of Himachal Pradesh during the last three years are as under.

(Rs. in crores)

Name of the Programme/Schemes	Year
Name of the Programme/Schemes	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme	114.05	119.32	90.68
Flood Management Programme	0.67	-	43.20

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