No such information on groundwater level is available. However, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells. The water level data collected by CGWB during November 2021 when compared with the decadal mean of November (2011-2020) indicates that about 30% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water level and about 70 % wells have registered rise in water level. Detail are given at Annexure-I.
Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including preventing the depletion of groundwater reserves 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 at Annexure-II.
Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019 in 256 water stressed districts in the country which continued during 2021 also to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the country. Further, the campaign “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021.
In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/harvesting such as ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban 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, and Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu.
No studies have been undertaken for formulating Urban Drought Policy. However, the National Water Policy incorporates provisions/guidelines on drought management.
Guidelines have been issued on 24.09.2020 for regulation and control of ground water extraction in the country. Water being a State subject, the guidelines advocate for a participatory approach for sustainable ground water management in agriculture sector including working towards crop rotation, diversification & other initiatives to reduce over-dependence on groundwater.
Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) is being implemented in certain water stressed areas of the country, which includes activities like preparation of water security plan at Gram Panchayat level in participatory mode by involving communities to use available groundwater and surface water in an efficient manner.
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Per Drop More Crop component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) which is operational from 2015-16. The PMKSY-Per Drop More Crop mainly focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler irrigation system) to reduce the extraction of groundwater.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Annexure-I
State-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean [November (2011 to 2020] and November 2021
|
S. No.
|
Name of State
|
No. of wells Analysed
|
Rise
|
Fall
|
Rise
|
Fall
|
Wells showing no change
|
|
0-2 m
|
2-4 m
|
>4 m
|
0-2 m
|
2-4 m
|
>4 m
|
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
|
1
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
706
|
419
|
59.3
|
87
|
12.3
|
50
|
7.1
|
124
|
17.6
|
14
|
2.0
|
11
|
1.6
|
556
|
79
|
149
|
21
|
1
|
0
|
|
2
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
10
|
2
|
20.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
8
|
80.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
2
|
20
|
8
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
|
3
|
Assam
|
167
|
71
|
42.5
|
3
|
1.8
|
1
|
0.6
|
83
|
49.7
|
6
|
3.6
|
3
|
1.8
|
75
|
45
|
92
|
55
|
0
|
0
|
|
4
|
Bihar
|
593
|
395
|
66.6
|
78
|
13.2
|
11
|
1.9
|
102
|
17.2
|
7
|
1.2
|
0
|
0.0
|
484
|
82
|
109
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
|
5
|
Chandigarh
|
12
|
4
|
33.3
|
2
|
16.7
|
1
|
8.3
|
3
|
25.0
|
1
|
8.3
|
1
|
8.3
|
7
|
58
|
5
|
42
|
0
|
0
|
|
6
|
Chhattisgarh
|
687
|
290
|
42.2
|
66
|
9.6
|
30
|
4.4
|
230
|
33.5
|
45
|
6.6
|
26
|
3.8
|
386
|
56
|
301
|
44
|
0
|
0
|
|
7
|
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
|
17
|
15
|
88.2
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
2
|
11.8
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
15
|
88
|
2
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
|
8
|
Daman & Diu
|
5
|
2
|
40.0
|
1
|
20.0
|
1
|
20.0
|
1
|
20.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
4
|
80
|
1
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
|
9
|
Delhi
|
86
|
29
|
33.7
|
21
|
24.4
|
15
|
17.4
|
12
|
14.0
|
3
|
3.5
|
6
|
7.0
|
65
|
76
|
21
|
24
|
0
|
0
|
|
10
|
Goa
|
68
|
9
|
13.2
|
0
|
0.0
|
1
|
1.5
|
52
|
76.5
|
5
|
7.4
|
1
|
1.5
|
10
|
15
|
58
|
85
|
0
|
0
|
|
11
|
Gujarat
|
746
|
278
|
37.3
|
122
|
16.4
|
112
|
15.0
|
140
|
18.8
|
50
|
6.7
|
44
|
5.9
|
512
|
69
|
234
|
31
|
0
|
0
|
|
12
|
Haryana
|
183
|
66
|
36.1
|
6
|
3.3
|
8
|
4.4
|
65
|
35.5
|
19
|
10.4
|
19
|
10.4
|
80
|
44
|
103
|
56
|
0
|
0
|
|
13
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
86
|
40
|
46.5
|
5
|
5.8
|
2
|
2.3
|
36
|
41.9
|
1
|
1.2
|
1
|
1.2
|
47
|
55
|
38
|
44
|
1
|
1
|
|
14
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
213
|
100
|
46.9
|
4
|
1.9
|
3
|
1.4
|
99
|
46.5
|
4
|
1.9
|
3
|
1.4
|
107
|
50
|
106
|
50
|
0
|
0
|
|
15
|
Jharkhand
|
198
|
132
|
66.7
|
17
|
8.6
|
1
|
0.5
|
45
|
22.7
|
3
|
1.5
|
0
|
0.0
|
150
|
76
|
48
|
24
|
0
|
0
|
|
16
|
Karnataka
|
1290
|
709
|
55.0
|
265
|
20.5
|
123
|
9.5
|
159
|
12.3
|
20
|
1.6
|
14
|
1.1
|
1097
|
85
|
193
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
|
17
|
Kerala
|
1304
|
868
|
66.6
|
145
|
11.1
|
39
|
3.0
|
227
|
17.4
|
17
|
1.3
|
8
|
0.6
|
1052
|
81
|
252
|
19
|
0
|
0
|
|
18
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
1297
|
590
|
45.5
|
164
|
12.6
|
97
|
7.5
|
345
|
26.6
|
70
|
5.4
|
31
|
2.4
|
851
|
66
|
446
|
34
|
0
|
0
|
|
19
|
Maharashtra
|
1727
|
856
|
49.6
|
321
|
18.6
|
161
|
9.3
|
317
|
18.4
|
47
|
2.7
|
24
|
1.4
|
1338
|
77
|
388
|
22
|
1
|
0
|
|
20
|
Meghalaya
|
24
|
10
|
41.7
|
1
|
4.2
|
0
|
0.0
|
13
|
54.2
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
11
|
46
|
13
|
54
|
0
|
0
|
|
21
|
Nagaland
|
2
|
1
|
50.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
1
|
50.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
1
|
50
|
1
|
50
|
0
|
0
|
|
22
|
Odhisha
|
1245
|
650
|
52.2
|
32
|
2.6
|
2
|
0.2
|
517
|
41.5
|
35
|
2.8
|
8
|
0.6
|
684
|
55
|
560
|
45
|
1
|
0
|
|
23
|
Pondicherry
|
6
|
3
|
50.0
|
1
|
16.7
|
0
|
0.0
|
2
|
33.3
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
4
|
67
|
2
|
33
|
0
|
0
|
|
24
|
Punjab
|
176
|
46
|
26.1
|
7
|
4.0
|
1
|
0.6
|
74
|
42.0
|
38
|
21.6
|
10
|
5.7
|
54
|
31
|
122
|
69
|
0
|
0
|
|
25
|
Rajasthan
|
918
|
248
|
27.0
|
80
|
8.7
|
44
|
4.8
|
290
|
31.6
|
114
|
12.4
|
141
|
15.4
|
372
|
41
|
545
|
59
|
1
|
0
|
|
26
|
Tamil Nadu
|
538
|
201
|
37.4
|
146
|
27.1
|
113
|
21.0
|
54
|
10.0
|
13
|
2.4
|
11
|
2.0
|
460
|
86
|
78
|
14
|
0
|
0
|
|
27
|
Telangana
|
537
|
203
|
37.8
|
114
|
21.2
|
133
|
24.8
|
73
|
13.6
|
5
|
0.9
|
9
|
1.7
|
450
|
84
|
87
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
|
28
|
Tripura
|
22
|
8
|
36.4
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.0
|
11
|
50.0
|
3
|
13.6
|
0
|
0.0
|
8
|
36
|
14
|
64
|
0
|
0
|
|
29
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
646
|
358
|
55.4
|
102
|
15.8
|
21
|
3.3
|
118
|
18.3
|
32
|
5.0
|
15
|
2.3
|
481
|
74
|
165
|
26
|
0
|
0
|
|
30
|
Uttarakhand
|
45
|
23
|
51.1
|
3
|
6.7
|
2
|
4.4
|
9
|
20.0
|
4
|
8.9
|
4
|
8.9
|
28
|
62
|
17
|
38
|
0
|
0
|
|
31
|
West Bengal
|
721
|
417
|
57.8
|
87
|
12.1
|
34
|
4.7
|
117
|
16.2
|
34
|
4.7
|
31
|
4.3
|
538
|
75
|
182
|
25
|
1
|
0
|
|
Total
|
14275
|
70433
|
49.3
|
1880
|
13.2
|
1006
|
7.0
|
3328
|
23.3
|
591
|
4.1
|
421
|
2.9
|
9929
|
70
|
4340
|
30
|
6
|
0
|
Annexure-II
“DECLINE IN WATER TABLE”.
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 2021, Ministry of Jal Shakti took 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 crore Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation. Atal Jal is being implemented in 80 water stressed districts and 8,565 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’. The Master Plan – 2020 is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country. The Master Plan - 2020 envisages construction of about 1.42 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country to harness 185 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM).
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 groundwater resources in the country. NAQUIM outputs are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.
Government of India 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.
*****
BY/AS