Dynamic Ground Water Resource assessment of the country including for Maharashtra, is being carried out annually by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in coordination with the State Governments. As per the latest assessment of 2025, the total Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource for the country is estimated as 407.75 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) and the total Annual Ground Water Extraction is 247.22 BCM. The Stage of Groundwater Extraction (SoE), which is defined as a ratio of total Annual Ground Water Extraction to Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource, is arrived at 60.63% for the country as a whole.

Based on the Stage of Groundwater Extraction, the Assessment Units (AUs) of the country, which are generally Blocks/Taluks/Tehsils/Mandals etc., are placed into ‘Safe’, ‘Semi-critical’, ‘Critical’, ‘Over-Exploited’ and ‘Saline’ categories. The State/UTs-wise number of assessment units in each category for the entire country, is provided in Annexure.

Perusal of data indicates that out of 359 assessment units (Taluks) in Maharashtra, 306 units (85.24%) fall in the Safe category, 40 (11.14%) in Semi-critical, 5 (1.39%) in Critical, 7 (1.95%) in Over-exploited and 1 (0.28%) unit is in the Saline category.

 ‘Water’ being a State subject, the responsibility of addressing the ground water related issues lies primarily with the concerned State Governments. However, the Central Government facilitates the efforts of the State Governments by way of technical and financial assistance through its various schemes and projects. The major steps taken by the government in this direction for regulating over-extraction, reducing dependence on ground water and ensuring their long-term sustainability through aquifer recharge programmes, including in the State of Maharashtra, are provided below:

1. Efforts of the Government for augmenting the water/groundwater resources of the country are mainly channeled through the flagship campaign of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), an annual mission mode programme for taking up water harvesting and artificial recharge activities. As per the available information under JSA, more than 2 Cr water conservation and artificial recharge works have been taken up through convergence in the country so far, with around 1.89 lakh works in Maharashtra (5,346 works in Ahilyanagar district and 1,783 works in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district), which have played a key role in enhancing the sustainability of ground water resources.

2. To further strengthen the momentum of JSA, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative has been launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in 2024 with a vision to make rain water harvesting a mass movement in the country. By promoting community ownership and responsibility, the initiative seeks to develop cost-effective, local solutions tailored to specific water challenges across different regions. Thus far, more than 45 lakh rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures have been constructed across the country under this initiative, with around 30,800 such structures in Maharashtra.

3. M/o Jal Shakti has successfully demonstrated the efficacy of community led participatory ground water management through Atal Bhujal Yojana, which was implemented in 8,203 water stressed Gram Panchayats across 7 States, including Maharashtra.

In Maharashtra, the scheme covered 1,133 Gram Panchayats (GPs) across 43 water stressed blocks in 13 districts, including 100 GPs in 3 Blocks of Ahilyanagar district (erstwhile Ahmednagar district). However, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district (erstwhile Aurangabad district) was not covered. Under the scheme, community led preparation of Water Budgets (WBs) and Water Security Plans (WSPs) were completed and annually updated for all covered GPs. Further, construction/rejuvenation of 9,460 water harvesting and artificial recharge structures were done, with 318 structures in Ahilyanagar district and an area of around 2.74 lakh Hectares was brought under efficient irrigation practices, with around 22,500 Hectares in Ahilyanagar district. As a result, 39 out 43 Blocks covered in Maharashtra along with all the 3 Blocks of Ahilyanagar district, have shown improvement in ground water levels during periodic assessments conducted from 2023 to 2025.

4. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, being implemented by this Ministry in partnership with states, marks an important milestone for providing contamination free potable tap water to every rural household of the country on regular & long-term basis. As on date 15.82 Cr rural households of the country have been covered under the Scheme as compared to 3.23 Cr at the time of Scheme commencement in August 2019. Further, under JJM source sustainability is an important theme and the scheme integrates measures such as rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ensure long term viability of aquifers tapped for water supply projects. Moreover, in areas facing ground water stress and quality issues, the Scheme promotes surface water based multi-village projects.

5. Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched by the Government of India which aimed at developing and rejuvenating at least 75 water bodies in each district of the country. As an outcome nearly 69,000 Amrit Sarovars have been constructed/rejuvenated in the country, with 3,055 in Maharashtra, leading to enhanced water storage and ground water recharge.

6. On the regulation front, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti is involved in regulation of ground water extraction in 19 States/UTs, including Maharashtra. CGWA issues 'No Objection Certificates' (NOCs) for ground water extraction to industries, mines, infrastructure projects etc.

7. Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA & FW) is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme in the country, including Maharashtra, since 2015-16, which focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation leading to conservation of ground water.

8. After the successful completion of NAQUIM 1.0, which mapped the aquifers of the country for the entire mappable area of 25 lakh sq. kms, including 2.59 lakh sq km of Maharashtra, CGWB has embarked upon NAQUIM 2.0, focusing on water stressed and quality affected pockets, with a view to provide aquifer data of high granularity along with appropriate management plans. These precise aquifer maps along with identified recharge points serve as vital tools in the hands of policy makers as well as field level functionaries.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI SHRI C R PATIL in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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ND

(Lok Sabha SQ 382)

ANNEXURE

State/UT wise categorization of assessment units as per Ground Water Resource Assessment, 2025

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