9.53 BILLION CUBIC METRE REDUCTION IN OVERALL GROUND WATER EXTRACTION FROM 2017 TO 2022

The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. The comparison between latest assessment (2022) with the 2017 assessment indicates that the average ‘Stage of Ground Water Extraction (i.e. gross groundwater extraction for all uses on an average to available groundwater resource)’ for the country as a whole improved to 60.08% (2022 assessment) as compared to 63.33% (2017 assessment).

Further annual groundwater extraction for various uses in the country as per 2022 and 2017 assessments are 239.16 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM) and 248.69 BCM indicating a lesser overall groundwater extraction of around 9.53 BCM.

Government is promoting the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water for sustainable management of the water resources in the country specially targeting the water stressed areas by promoting community based interventions at village level using scientific/innovative means like identifying and characterising the aquifers for its proper management at finer scale, preparation/implementation of water security plans at village levels, use of micro-irrigation practices like sprinkler/drip irrigation systems, real time groundwater level monitoring and its dissemination to stake-holders etc.

Water being a State subject, the efforts to reduce extraction of groundwater including effectively harvest the rainwater/recharge of groundwater for its sustainable management falls in the mandate of State Government, however, Central Government has taken a number of steps in this direction which can be seen in the web-link:

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2023/02/2023021742.pdf

Some of the important steps for reducing groundwater extraction in the country are as under:

Agriculture being one of the major extractors of groundwater in the country, Central Government is promoting participatory groundwater management in the country with community participation at village level for conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater based on scientific means. Further, crop diversification, crop rotation, use of micro irrigation techniques like drip/sprinkler irrigation systems, increasing water use efficiency by use of improved techniques, availability of surface water through canal-based system, energy efficient electric tariff policy etc are being vigorously promoted in agriculture sector.

Central Government is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana involving the local communities at village levels with an outlay of Rs. 6,000 crore, in collaboration with States, in certain water stressed areas of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Under Atal Bhujal Yojana, the focus is on demand side management of the ground water and accordingly water saving interventions such as use of micro irrigation (drip/sprinkler system), shifting of cropping patter from high water intensive crops to low water intensive crops, use of pipe in irrigation to reduce losses, mulching etc. are being encouraged and incentivized.

Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme which is operational from 2015-16 in the country. PDMC focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation mainly (Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation System).

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under section 3(3) of the “Environment (Protection) Act, 1986” for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water by industries, mining projects, infrastructure projects etc in the country. The regulation guideline in this regard with pan-India applicability was notified by the Department of Water Resources, RD & GR on 24 September 2020 with subsequent amendment on 29 March 2023. CGWA and States issue No Objection Certificate (NOC) for extraction of groundwater to various industries/project proponents as per their jurisdiction and as per the extant guidelines.

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