Lok Sabha Question No. 1923 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-11
Subject: Groundwater Extraction in Punjab
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1923

ANSWERED ON 11.12.2025

## GROUNDWATER EXTRACTION IN PUNJAB

## 1923.  SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  Punjab  has  the  highest  rate  of  groundwater  extraction  in  the country with over 75 per cent of its blocks classified as overexploited and groundwater extraction reaching 156 per cent and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to address the widespread contamination of groundwater in Punjab with toxic substances such as arsenic, fluoride and uranium as reported in several districts;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  studies  or  assessments  on  the  impact  of  declining groundwater levels and increasing salinity on agricultural productivity and public health in Punjab and if so, the details and the key findings thereof; and

(d) the measures being implemented to promote sustainable irrigation practices in Punjab in view of the heavy reliance on tubewells and the reduction in canal-irrigated area?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  of  the  country  are  being  annually  assessed,  jointly  by  Central Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  and  State  Governments.  As  per  the  2025  assessment,  the  total  Annual Ground  Water  Recharge  for  the  state  of  Punjab  is  18.60  Billion  Cubic  Meter  (BCM)  and  the  Annual Extractable  Ground  Water  Resources  is  estimated  as  16.80  BCM.  Further,  total  Annual  Ground  Water Extraction in Punjab in 2025 has been assessed as 26.27 BCM. Based on this, the Stage of Ground Water Extraction (SoE), which is a measure of Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses (irrigation, industrial and domestic uses) over Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is worked out to be 156.36% for the state of Punjab .

Further, 111 (72.55%) blocks out of 153 in Punjab have been categorized as 'Over-exploited' where total  annual  ground  water  extraction  exceeds  the  extractable  ground  water  resources.  Additionally,  10 Blocks are in critical, 15 in Semi-critical and 17 in Safe category.

However,  groundwater  being  a  replenishable  resource  which  gets  recharged  every  year  through rainfall and other sources, with judicious regulation of extraction and large-scale conservation measures, the situation can be improved over time.

(b) CGWB generates groundwater quality data on a regional scale across the country, including for the state of Punjab, under its groundwater quality monitoring programme and other scientific studies conducted by it as per the approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). As per the Annual Ground Water Quality report 2025,  localized  occurrence  of  Arsenic,  Fluoride  and  Uranium  in  ground  water  in  excess  of  the  limits prescribed for drinking water use has been reported in some isolated pockets of Punjab.

Water  is  a State subject and  the responsibility of taking initiatives  to  mitigate  ground  water contamination lies primarily with the state governments. However, to complement the efforts of the state governments, several steps have been taken by the Central Government to address these issues across the country, including Punjab. Some of the important ones are mentioned below:-

- i. The ground water quality data generated by CGWB  including  that for heavy metal contamination,  is  regularly  disseminated  through  Annual  Reports,  Half-yearly  Bulletins  and Fortnightly Alerts for quick action by the stakeholders.
- ii. In  order  to  enhance  monitoring  efficiency,  a  new  Standard  Operating  Procedure  (SoP)  for Groundwater Quality Monitoring has been adopted by CGWB, which stipulates more frequent and  denser  sampling,  particularly  in  vulnerable  areas,  to  ensure  a  more  comprehensive assessment of groundwater quality.
- iii. CGWB has also developed an innovative cement sealing technology for tapping deeper Arsenic free aquifers in the Arsenic affected areas and has so far successfully constructed 525 Arsenic safe exploratory wells and is also providing technical assistance to state departments for taking up similar constructions.
- iv. 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 in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis. Several water quality safety measures including setting up of an extensive network  of  testing  labs,  distribution  of  Field  Testing  Kits  (FTKs),  installation  of  community water purifier plants in affected habitations etc. have been taken up under JJM.
- v. Improvement in ground water quality can also be achieved to some extent by taking up artificial recharge  of  contaminated  aquifers,  which  dilutes  the  contaminants  to  reduce  their  adverse effects.  Accordingly,  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  and  other  central  ministries  are  implementing several programmes towards this end like the annual Jal Shakti Abhiyan campaign, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative, PMKSY and MGNREGS schemes etc.

(c) CGWB  regularly  monitors  the  ground  water  levels  and  quality  throughout  the  country,  including Punjab, as per its mandate. Moreover, under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM) Phase 1.0, aquifer mapping for the entire mappable area of the country, including Punjab, has been carried out and

district-wise ground water management plans have been shared with state/district administrations for taking up suitable field interventions. In the NAQUIM study reports, the problem of ground water depletion and quality  issues  like  salinity  in  affected  pockets  has  been  addressed  and  suitable  supply  and  demand  side measures  for  remediation  like  construction  of  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge  structures, increasing  the  area  under  micro-irrigation,  crop  diversification  etc.  have  been  recommended.  Similarly, several remedial measures for mitigation of ground water contamination issues like identifying and tapping safer  aquifers  for  drinking  water  use,  various  techniques  for  local  water  purification  etc.  have  also  been suggested for preventing adverse impact on public health.

(d) The  government  has  taken  up  several  important  measures,  as  summarized  below,  for  reducing dependence on ground water, encouraging conjunctive use with surface water and promoting sustainable irrigation practices in the country, including Punjab.

- i. Under  various  components  of  the  umbrella  Scheme  of  PMKSY  like  Repair,  Renovation  & Restoration  (RRR), Surface  Minor  Irrigation  (SMI)  etc.  the  M/o  Jal  Shakti  provides  assistance  to states,  including  Punjab  for  reviving/restoring  traditional  water  bodies  and  enhancing  irrigation through smaller surface water projects like tanks, check dams, and lift irrigation, benefiting small & marginal farmers.
- ii. There are three major multipurpose projects viz. Shahpurkandi Dam Project, Kandi Canal Extension Ph-II and Rehabilitation of Ist Patiala Feeder and Kotla Branch Project, which are funded by MoJS under the PMKSY scheme, creating/restoring around 1.52 lakh Ha of irrigation potential benefitting several  districts  of  Punjab.  Additionally,  Central  Assistance  is  being  provided  for  two  Extension, Renovation and Modernization (ERM) projects and one Command Area Development and Water Management (CAD&WM) project as well.
- iii. Based on the advisories of M/o Jal Shakti to States to review their free/subsidized electricity policy to farmers, bring suitable water pricing policy and to work further towards crop rotation/diversification/other initiatives to reduce over-dependence on groundwater, Department of Agriculture,  Punjab  is  pursuing  hard  to  diversify  the  acreage  under  paddy  to  other  less  water consuming crops by extending incentives to farmers.
- iv. Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA & FW), GoI, is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme in the country, including Punjab, since 2015-16, which focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation and better on-farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources. Thus far, an area of around 19,941 Ha in Punjab has been covered under micro-irrigation through PDMC scheme.

*****