Lok Sabha Question No. 1429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-15
Subject: Rate of Depletion of Ground Water Resources
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pratima Mondal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1429 ANSWERED ON 15.12.2022

## RATE OF DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER RESOURCES

## 1429 SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) the average rate of depletion of ground water resources;

(b) the data on annual ground water exploitation for the last five years, State-wise;

(c) the number of districts facing overexploitation of ground water, State-wise;

(d) the reasons for the poor water management in the country; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government to reduce exploitation of water in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Availability of groundwater resources in an area depends on a number of factors like intensity & period of rainfall, geological strata of the area, number of existing recharge structures, extraction by consumers for various purposes like industrial applications, drinking/domestic purposes, irrigation etc and therefore, the increase or, depletion rate of the groundwater resources will be different for different areas.

However,  the  comparison  of  groundwater  extraction  between  the  years  2020  and  2022  (as assessed by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States) indicates decrease in extraction (on an average for the entire country) from around 244.92 Billion Cubic meter (BCM) to 239.16 BCM. Further,  in  order  to  assess  the  long  term  fluctuation  in  ground  water  level,  the  water  level  data collected  by  CGWB (through a set of monitoring network) during November 2021 when compared with the decadal mean of November 2011 to Nov 2020 indicates that about 70 % wells have registered rise in water level whereas, about 30% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water level.

(b) CGWB  is  not  compiling  the  information  with  respect  to  year-wise  extraction  of  groundwater resources,  however, the  State-wise  details  in  this  regard  as  assessed  by  the  CGWB  in  collaboration with  States/UTs  for  the  last  three  assessments  viz.  for  the  years  2017,  2020  and  2022  are  given  at Annexure I .

(c) The  groundwater  resource  estimation  in  the  country  is  being  done  at  assessment  units  (blocks, mandals, talukas  etc)  level.  The  State-wise  details  of  over-exploited  assessment  units  vis-à-vis  total number of available assessment units in the States are given at Annexure II .

(d) Increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagaries of rainfall, increased population;

industrialization,  urbanization  etc.  have  impacted  the  sustainable  water  management  in  the  country, however,  appropriate  efforts  are  being  made  by  the  Government  including  all  stakeholders  through policy/site interventions to achieve the desired objective.

(e) Though water is a State subject, Central Government has taken a number of important measures for conservation,  management  of  ground  water  including effective implementation  of rain water harvesting in the country, which can be seen at http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps%20taken%20by%20the%20Central%20Govt%20for%20water\_d epletion\_july2022.pdf

The  Central  Government  has  notified  groundwater  regulation  guidelines  dated  24.09.2020  for controlling  the  extraction  of  groundwater  by  various  consumers/project  proponents  like  industries, infrastructure projects and mining projects under which No Objection Certificate (NOC) for extraction has been made mandatory.

Government of  India  is  implementing  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  the  country.  First  JSA  was launched  in  2019  in  water  stressed  blocks  of  256  districts  which  continued  during  the  year  2021 (across entire country both rural and urban areas) also with the primary aim to effectively harvest the monsoon rainfall through creation of artificial recharge structures, watershed management, recharge and reuse structures, intensive afforestation and awareness generation etc. JSA for the year 2021 and 2022 were launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister and Hon'ble President on 22.03.2021 and 29.03.2022 respectively.

Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  launched  Amrit  Sarovar  Mission  on  24th  April  2022.  The  Mission  is aimed  at  developing  and  rejuvenating  75  water  bodies  in  each  district  of  the  country  as  a  part  of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Central  Government is  implementing  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  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. The primary aim of the scheme is demand side management  through  scientific  means  involving  the  local  communities  at  village  levels  leading  to sustainable groundwater management in the targeted areas.

CGWB is implementing National Aquifer Mapping Program (NAQUIM) with an aim to identify the groundwater aquifer system along-with their characterization for its sustainable management. Out of  the  total  mappable  area  of  nearly  25  lakh  sq  km,  nearly  24.4  lakh  sq  km  of  the  area  (as  on  30th November 2022) in the country has been covered. The balance area has been targeted to be covered by March 2023. The NAQUIM study report along with management plans are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.

Water  is  a  State  subject  and  several  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.

***

## ANNEXURE I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1429  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  15.12.2022  REGARDING  'RATE  OF DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER RESOURCES'

State-wise data on annual ground water exploitation for the past five years

| S. No.   | States / Union Territories   | 2017                                          | 2017                                                                | 2020                | 2020                                   | 2022                                     | 2022                                       |
|----------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | States / Union Territories   | Annual Ground Water Extraction- 2017 (in bcm) | Stage of Ground Water Extraction (%) -2017 Annual Ground Water 2020 | Extraction- (in (%) | Stage of Ground Water Extraction -2020 | Annual Ground Water Extraction -2022 (in | Stage of Ground Water Extraction (%) -2022 |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh               | 8.90                                          | bcm) 44.15                                                          | 7.63                | 33.26                                  | bcm) 7.45                                | 28.81                                      |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh            | 0.01                                          | 0.28                                                                | 0.01                | 0.36                                   | 0.03                                     | 0.79                                       |
| 3        | Assam                        | 2.73                                          | 11.25                                                               | 2.58                | 11.73                                  | 2.65                                     | 12.38                                      |
| 4        | Bihar                        | 13.26                                         | 45.76                                                               | 13.02               | 51.14                                  | 13.5                                     | 44.94                                      |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh                 | 4.70                                          | 44.43                                                               | 5.35                | 46.34                                  | 5.46                                     | 49.58                                      |
| 6        | Delhi                        | 0.36                                          | 119.61                                                              | 0.29                | 101.40                                 | 0.36                                     | 98.16                                      |
| 7        | Goa                          | 0.05                                          | 33.50                                                               | 0.08                | 23.48                                  | 0.078                                    | 23.63                                      |
| 8        | Gujarat                      | 13.58                                         | 63.89                                                               | 13.30               | 53.39                                  | 13.09                                    | 53.23                                      |
| 9        | Haryana                      | 12.50                                         | 136.91                                                              | 11.61               | 134.56                                 | 11.54                                    | 134.14                                     |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh             | 0.39                                          | 86.37                                                               | 0.36                | 36.83                                  | 0.35                                     | 37.56                                      |
| 11       | Jharkhand                    | 1.58                                          | 27.73                                                               | 1.64                | 29.13                                  | 1.78                                     | 31.35                                      |
| 12       | Karnataka                    | 10.34                                         | 69.87                                                               | 10.63               | 64.85                                  | 11.22                                    | 69.93                                      |
| 13       | Kerala                       | 2.67                                          | 51.27                                                               | 2.65                | 51.68                                  | 2.73                                     | 52.56                                      |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh               | 18.88                                         | 54.76                                                               | 18.97               | 56.82                                  | 19.25                                    | 59.1                                       |
| 15       | Maharashtra                  | 16.33                                         | 54.62                                                               | 16.63               | 54.99                                  | 16.65                                    | 54.68                                      |
| 16       | Manipur                      | 0.01                                          | 1.44                                                                | 0.02                | 5.12                                   | 0.04                                     | 7.95                                       |
| 17       | Meghalaya                    | 0.04                                          | 2.28                                                                | 0.08                | 4.22                                   | 0.05                                     | 3.55                                       |
| 18       | Mizoram                      | 0.01                                          | 3.82                                                                | 0.01                | 3.81                                   | 0.01                                     | 3.96                                       |
| 19       | Nagaland                     | 0.02                                          | 0.99                                                                | 0.02                | 1.04                                   | 0.02                                     | 2.89                                       |
| 20       | Odisha                       | 6.57                                          | 42.18                                                               | 6.86                | 43.65                                  | 7.23                                     | 44.25                                      |
| 21       | Punjab                       | 35.78                                         | 165.77                                                              | 33.85               | 164.42                                 | 28.02                                    | 165.99                                     |
| 22       | Rajasthan                    | 16.77                                         | 139.88                                                              | 16.63               | 150.22                                 | 16.56                                    | 151.07                                     |
| 23       | Sikkim                       | 0.00                                          | 0.06                                                                | 0.01                | 0.86                                   | 0.0147                                   | 6.04                                       |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu                   | 14.73                                         | 80.94                                                               | 14.67               | 82.93                                  | 14.43                                    | 75.59                                      |
| 25       | Telangana                    | 8.09                                          | 65.45                                                               | 8.01                | 53.32                                  | 8                                        | 41.6                                       |
| 26       | Tripura                      | 0.10                                          | 7.88                                                                | 0.10                | 7.94                                   | 0.10                                     | 9.70                                       |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh                | 45.84                                         | 70.18                                                               | 46.03               | 68.83                                  | 46.14                                    | 70.66                                      |
| 28       | Uttarakhand                  | 1.64                                          | 56.83                                                               | 0.87                | 46.80                                  | 0.89                                     | 48.04                                      |
| 29       | West Bengal*                 | 11.84                                         | 44.60                                                               | 11.84               | 44.60                                  | 10.07                                    | 47.01                                      |
| 30       | Andaman and Nicobar          | 0.01                                          | 2.74                                                                | 0.01                | 2.60                                   | 0.0075                                   | 1.35                                       |
| 31       | Chandigarh                   | 0.03                                          | 89.00                                                               | 0.05                | 80.60                                  | 0.04                                     | 80.99                                      |
| 32       | Dadra & Nagar Haveli         | 0.02                                          | 31.34                                                               | 0.03                | 45.99                                  | 0.11                                     | 133.2                                      |
|          | Daman &Diu                   | 0.01                                          | 61.40                                                               | 0.03                | 113.38                                 | 0.057                                    | 157.927                                    |
| 33       | Jammu and Kashmir            | 0.76                                          | 29.47                                                               | 0.89                | 21.03                                  | 1.07                                     | 24.18                                      |
| 34       | Ladakh                       |                                               |                                                                     | 0.02                | 17.90                                  | 0.03                                     | 41.36                                      |
| 35       | Lakshadweep                  | 0.00                                          | 65.99                                                               | 0.00                | 58.47                                  | 0                                        | 61.6                                       |
| 36       | Puducherry                   | 0.15                                          | 74.33                                                               | 0.15                | 74.27                                  | 0.13                                     | 69.17                                      |
|          | Grand Total                  | 248.69                                        | 63.33                                                               | 244.92              | 61.60                                  | 239.16                                   | 60.08                                      |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1429  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  15.12.2022  REGARDING  'RATE  OF DEPLETION OF GROUND WATER RESOURCES'

## The State wise details of the numbers of districts have over exploited assessment units

| S.No.   | State/Union Territories   | Total No. of Assessed Units   | Over-Exploited   |
|---------|---------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|
|         | States                    |                               | Nos.             |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh            | 667                           | 6                |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh         | 11                            |                  |
| 3       | Assam                     | 28                            |                  |
| 4       | Bihar                     | 535                           | 8                |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh              | 146                           |                  |
| 6       | Delhi                     | 34                            | 15               |
| 7       | Goa                       | 12                            |                  |
| 8       | Gujarat                   | 252                           | 23               |
| 9       | Haryana                   | 143                           | 88               |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh          | 10                            |                  |
| 11      | Jharkhand                 | 263                           | 5                |
| 12      | Karnataka                 | 234                           | 49               |
| 13      | Kerala                    | 152                           |                  |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh            | 317                           | 26               |
| 15      | Maharashtra               | 353                           | 11               |
| 16      | Manipur                   | 9                             |                  |
| 17      | Meghalaya                 | 12                            |                  |
| 18      | Mizoram                   | 26                            |                  |
| 19      | Nagaland                  | 11                            |                  |
| 20      | Odisha                    | 314                           |                  |
| 21      | Punjab                    | 153                           | 117              |
| 22      | Rajasthan                 | 302                           | 219              |
| 23      | Sikkim                    | 6                             |                  |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu                | 1166                          | 360              |
| 25      | Telangana                 | 594                           | 13               |
| 26      | Tripura                   | 59                            |                  |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh             | 836                           | 63               |
| 28      | Uttarakhand               | 18                            |                  |
| 29      | West Bengal               | 345                           |                  |
| 30      | Andaman and Nicobar       | 36                            |                  |
| 31      | Chandigarh                | 1                             |                  |
| 32      | Dadra &Nagar Haveli       | 1                             | 1                |
|         | Daman &Diu                | 2                             | 2                |
| 33      | Jammu and Kashmir         | 20                            |                  |
| 34      | Ladakh                    | 8                             |                  |
| 35      | Lakshadweep               | 9                             |                  |
| 36      | Puducherry                | 4                             |                  |
|         | Grand Total               | 7089                          | 1006             |

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