Lok Sabha Question No. 1299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-09
Subject: Assessment of Ground Water Resources
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Nalin Kumar Kateel, D.K. Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1299

## ANSWERED ON 09.02.2023

## ASSESSMENT OF GROUND WATER RESOURCES

## 1299. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## SHRI D.K. SURESH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has made any periodical assessment of the Ground Water Resources of the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof, basin-wise;

(c) whether it is true that the ground water in the river basins have seen a significant fall in these years;

(d) if so, the reasons for the said down fall in the ground water level; and

(e) the measures being taken/proposed to be taken to improve the situation in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a ) & (b) Yes sir. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically assessing the Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country as per the assessment units which are block/taluka/mandal/tehsil/firka etc and not the basin. Further, since 2022 the resource assessment is being done on annual basis.

Assessment unit-wise groundwater resource report can be seen at web-link -http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/2022-11-11-GWRA%202022.pdf

(c) & (d) As mentioned in para (a), groundwater resource assessment in the country is being done as per assessment units. Further, as per 2022 groundwater resource assessment, the total annual ground water recharge in the country is 437.60 billion cubic meters (BCM), which is 5.74 BCM more as compared to 2017 assessment (431.86 BCM). Further, out of the total 7089 assessment units in the country, 1006 units (14%) have been categorized as 'Over-exploited' (where annual groundwater extraction is more than the annual  groundwater  recharge)   which  is  3%  less  when  compared  with  2017  assessment  (1186  over exploited units against total 6881 units) ).

Further,  CGWB  is  periodically  monitoring  the  ground  water  levels  throughout  the  country  on  a regional  scale,  through  a  network  of  monitoring  wells.  In  order  to  assess  the  long  term  fluctuation  in ground water levels, the water level data collected by CGWB during November 2022 has been compared with the decadal mean of November (2012-2021). Analysis of water level data indicates that about 61.10 % wells have registered rise in ground water level.

However, ground water  levels  in  certain  parts  of  the  country  appear  to  decline  mainly  because  of continuous withdrawal due to reasons such as increased demand for freshwater for various uses, vagaries of rainfall, increased population, industrialization & urbanization etc.

(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\_depletion\_july2022.pdf. Some of the important initiatives are listed as under.

- I. Government  of  India  is  implementing  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  the  country  in  order  to effectively  tap  the  financial  resources  available  through  various  schemes  like  MGNREGA, PMKSY-WDC,  relevant  State  schemes  etc  and  to  monitor  the  progress  with  respect  to  water harvesting/recharge, intensive afforestation, awareness generation etc. 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). 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.
- II. Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a Rs. 6000 crore Central Sector Scheme, is being implemented by the Ministry for sustainable management of ground water resources which include 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. The scheme is being taken up in select areas that include 80 districts, 229 administrative blocks and 8220 water stressed  Gram  Panchayats  of  seven  States,  viz.  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh from 01.04.202.
- III. 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.
- IV. 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 development and management in the country. CGWA has advised States/UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting. The latest guideline for control and regulation of groundwater extraction, with pan-India applicability was notified by the Ministry on 24 September 2020.
- V. CGWB  is  implementing  National  Aquifer  Mapping  Program  (NAQUIM)  in  the  country,  for sustainable management of aquifer system. Out of the total mappable area of nearly 25 Lakh Sq Km, nearly 24.50 Lakh Sq Km of the area (as on 30th December 2022) in the country has been covered.   Balance  areas  are  targeted  to  be  covered  by  Mar  2023.  The  NAQUIM  study  report along-with management plans are shared with States/UTs for suitable interventions.

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,  'JalyuktShibar'  in  Maharashtra, 'SujalamSufalam  Abhiyan'  in  Gujarat,  'Mission  Kakatiya'  in  Telangana,  NeeruChettu'  in  Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana, and Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu.