Lok Sabha Question No. 736 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-07
Subject: Extraction of Groundwater
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pritam Gopinath Munde, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Rahul Ramesh Shewale

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 736

ANSWERED ON 07.12.2023

## EXTRACTION OF GROUNDWATER

## 736. DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether as per assessment of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) the extraction of groundwater in India has shown an 18 years decline;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  deploy  a  vast  network  of  groundwater  sensors  that  would continuously relay information on groundwater levels as well as the degree of contamination down to the taluk level;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the plan prepared therefor;

(e) whether the Government proposes to provide groundwater forecasts to farmers that would be useful for sowing;

(f) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(g) whether the forecasts and updated advisories would help the States to prepare the groundwater extraction policies; and

(h) if so, the details thereof along with the directions issued to the States in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & b) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  and  State  Governments.  As  per  these  assessments,  in  the  last  18 years, the Stage of Ground water Extraction, i.e the ratio of total ground water extraction for all uses to the net annual extractible ground water has remained in the range of 58% (in the year 2004) to 63% (in the year 2017) for the country as a whole. However, due to the cumulative and consistent efforts by the central and various  state  governments  along  with  field  agencies  working  in  the  area,  the  Stage  of  Ground  water Extraction has shown a declining trend since 2017 and as per the latest assessment carried out in 2023, the figure stands at 59%.

Similarly, the total percentage of Overexploited, critical and semi-critical (OCS) assessment units in the country have reduced to 24.92% in 2023 from 35.92% in 2017 and 28.2% in 2004 also percentage of safe units has increased from 62.64%(2017) and 71.3%(2004) to 73.14% in the year 2023.

(c) & d) Ministry of Jal Shakti, under its various schemes has taken steps to instal about 20,000 additional piezometers  and  31,000  Digital  Water  Level  Recorders  (DWLRs)  with  telemetry  in  various  parts  of  the country for continuous monitoring of ground water related data. Further, the network of piezometers and DWLRs  in  the  country  is  being  continuously  expanded  to  improve  the  accuracy  and  quality  of  data available. In addition to the above various states have also installed their own piezometers and DWLRs for the purpose of monitoring ground water levels.

Regarding ground water quality, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies it conducts. generates ground water quality data of the country on a regional scale by way of collecting and analysing ground water samples from its network of monitoring wells spread throughout the country. Further, the Ministry has also initiated steps to automate the process of ground water quality monitoring.

( e) & (f) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) regularly generates and publishes data relating to ground water level, Quality and dynamic ground water resource assessment which are shared with all concerned central  and  state  ministries  and  departments,  including  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare (MoAFW) for using in forecasts, advisories issued by them like the Crop Weather Watch Group Reports (CWWG).

Further, this Ministry is running the community led participatory ground water management scheme, viz. the Atal Bhujal Yojana in 8213 water stressed Gram Panchayats of 7 states, viz. Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat,  Maharashtra,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  Under  this  scheme,  creating awareness  and  sensitization  of  community  members,  mainly  farmers,  is  done  at  local  level  followed  by collection and publishing of ground water related data for each GP. The data is used by the village members of  the  GP  for  preparing  water  budget  followed  by  Water  Security  Plan  (WSP)  for  their  GP.  The  water budget and WSP delve into the water availability and requirement of a particular GP and suggest measures to  bridge  the  gap,  with  a  major  thrust  on  reducing  the  demand  by  resorting  to  crop  diversification  and efficient irrigation techniques.

( g) & (h) The  data  published  by  CGWB  is  regularly  used  by  various  implementing  ministries  and departments  in  planning  the  extraction  and  use  of  ground  water.  The  finding  and  recommendations  of National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM) studies are being used by various state governments  and  agencies  for  planning  interventions  for  artificial  recharge,  regulation  of  ground  water extraction, construction of contaminant free wells, construction of irrigation wells in feasible areas etc.

Further,  The  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  Assessment  of  the  country  is  being  carried  out periodically by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) jointly with States/UTs and since 2022, this has been turned  into  an  annual  exercise.  These  assessment  reports,  inter  alia,  include  estimation  of  ground  water availability  (block  level  data  is  generated)  and  extraction  for  various  uses  like  domestic,  industrial  and agriculture. These reports are also being utilized by various State Governments and agencies in planning agriculture related activities and preparation of ground water extraction policies.