Lok Sabha Question No. 1860 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-11
Subject: Over-exploitation of Ground Water in Budaun
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Aditya Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1860

ANSWERED ON 11.12.2025

## OVER-EXPLOITATION OF GROUND WATER IN BUDAUN

## †1860.    SHRI ADITYA YADAV:

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

(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the serious problem of continuous depletion and overexploitation  of  groundwater  in  Budaun  district  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  threatening  agriculture,  availability  of drinking  water  and  livelihood  of  villagers  in  many  blocks,  especially  those  dependent  on  wells  and tubewells and if so, the details thereof; and

(b) the corrective steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to implement artificial groundwater recharge  projects,  promote  rainwater  harvesting,  regulate  borewell  drilling  and  ensure  community participation for water conservation?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) As  per  the  data  of  Dynamic  Ground  Water  Resources  Assessment,  2025,  carried  out  by  the  Central Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  in  coordination  with  respective  state  governments,  the  total  annual groundwater recharge of the Budaun District of Uttar Pradesh has been assessed as 80,131 hectare meters (ham).  The  annual  extractable  ground  water  resource  is  74,009  ham  and  the  total  annual  groundwater extraction  for  all  uses  has  been  estimated  as  58,756  ham.   Based  on  these,  the  Stage  of  Groundwater Extraction (SoE) for the Budaun District works out to be about 79.39 %, which places it in 'Semi-critical' category.  It  is  also  to  add  that  the  SoE  for  Budaun  district  has  shown  slight  improvement  from  the assessment of 2024 when it was placed at 83%.

Further, out of the total 15 Assessment Units (Blocks) of the Budaun District of Uttar Pradesh, 02 nos.  of  units  have  been  categorized  as  'Over-exploited'(where  annual  ground  water  extraction  exceeds extractable ground water resource), 09 units are in 'Semi-critical' and 04 units are in 'Safe' category.

(b) The  government  is  committed  to  ensure  sustainable  management  and  development  of  water  and groundwater resources of the country by promoting judicious use and robust conservation efforts. However, it may be appreciated that 'Water' being a State subject, sustainable development and management of water and  groundwater  resources  is primarily the responsibility of the  State  Governments.  The  Central Government, on its part, 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  implementing  artificial  groundwater  recharge  projects,  promoting  rainwater  harvesting, regulating  ground  water  extraction  and  ensuring  community  participation  for  water  conservation  in  the country, including in Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh, are provided below:

- i. Efforts of the Central government for augmenting the water/groundwater resources of the country, are  mainly  channeled  through  the  flagship  campaign  of  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA).  JSA  is  a  time bound and mission mode programme being conducted annually since 2019 by the M/o Jal Shakti, wherein all the efforts and funds under various schemes and projects are converged to deliver water harvesting and artificial recharge works on the ground.

Currently,  JSA  2025  is  underway  in  the  country  with  special  focus  on  over-exploited  and critical districts. As per the available information, under JSA, completion of around 1.21 crore water conservation and artificial recharge works has been coordinated through convergence in the country in  the  last  4  years,  with  20,693  structures  in  Budaun  district,  which  has  played  a  key  role  in enhancing the sustainability of ground water resources.

- ii. To further strengthen the momentum of Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB): A Community-Driven Path to Water Sustainability in India has been launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister 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.
- iii. After the successful completion of NAQUIM 1.0, which mapped country's aquifers and provided a macro-level understanding of our nation's groundwater resources, the Central Ground Water Board has  now  embarked  upon  NAQUIM  2.0,  focusing  on  water  stressed  and  quality  affected  pockets. Under  NAQUIM  2.0  state-of-the-art  technologies  are  harnessed,  for  generating  highly  detailed, scientific  data  which  serve  as  an  important  tool  for  making  informed  decisions  for  sustainable groundwater management.
- iv. CGWB has also prepared the Master Plan for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020,  for  the entire country providing a broad outline for construction of around 1.42 crore rain water harvesting and  artificial  recharge  structures  in  the  country  to  harness  185  BCM  (Billion  cubic  meter).  The Masterplan has been shared with State/UT administrations for taking up suitable field interventions. The Master Plan recommends the construction of about 1316 recharge structures, including check dams,  nala  bunds,  cement  plugs,  recharge  shafts,  ponds,  etc.,  and  rooftop  rainwater  harvesting structures in Budaun District.
- v. 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  218  in  Budaun  district, leading to enhanced water storage and ground water recharge.

- vi. Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA & FW) is implementing Per Drop More Crop Scheme  since  2015-16,  which  focuses  on  enhancing  water  use  efficiency  at  farm  level  through Micro Irrigation leading to conservation of ground water.
- vii. Ministry of Jal Shakti has constituted the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water extraction in the Country and has notified Guidelines dated 24.09.2020  for  the  purpose  of  such  regulation,  which  have  Pan  India  applicability.  Additionally, stringent measures like imposition of heavy penalties & Environmental Compensation Charges (EC) extraction without valid NOC, prohibiting new large-scale industries in over-exploited areas, sealing of  borewells  for  illegal  extraction  etc.  have  been  mandated  by  the  Guidelines  to  regulate  over extraction. However, it is to add that the state of Uttar Pradesh is regulating ground water extraction under The Uttar Pradesh Ground Water Management and Regulation Act-2019, which apart from regulating the ground water extraction, has also made it mandatory for all users to install rainwater harvesting systems against extraction done by them.
- viii. Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  has  successfully  demonstrated  the  efficacy  of  community  led  participatory ground water management through Atal Bhujal Yojana, which was implemented in 80 water stressed districts in 7 States viz. Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar  Pradesh.  Construction  of  various  rain  water  harvesting  and  recharge  structures  like  check dams, ponds, shafts etc. as well as promotion of micro irrigation was taken up under the scheme with an  objective  to  augment  the  ground  water  resources  and  to  reduce  the  strain  on  them  through efficient water management practices.

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