Lok Sabha Question No. 4468 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-19
Subject: Drinking Water Shortages and Irrigation Stress in Ladakh
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Karti P Chidambaram, Shri Charanjit Singh Channi, Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4468 ANSWERED ON 19/03/2026

## DRINKING WATER SHORTAGES AND IRRIGATION STRESS IN LADAKH

## 4468. SHRI CHARANJIT SINGH CHANNI: SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA: SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM:

Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state:

(a) the data on the number of villages reporting drinking water shortages and irrigation stress along with estimated annual water deficit in cubic metres in the Union Territory of Ladakh since 2021, year-wise;

(b)  the  status  of  glacial  retreat  assessments  for  Ladakh's  river  basins  conducted  by  the Government including data on glacial area loss since 2021, year-wise along with change in snow cover and spring discharge levels;

(c) the projected water availability for Ladakh used in official planning documents for 2025 and 2030; and

(d) the funds allocated and utilised for water conservation and recharge measures in Ladakh since 2022?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) Since August 2019, Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with States/ UTs including UT of Ladakh, to make provision of safe and adequate tap water connection to every rural household of the country. As reported by UT of Ladakh on JJM IMIS, out of the 240 villages, 201 villages have been reported as Har Ghar Jal and works are in progress in remaining villages.

As reported by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the dynamic ground water resources of country are assessed every year from 2022 jointly by CGWB and State/UT Governments. As per the 2025 assessment for the UT of Ladakh, the Total Annual Ground Water Recharge is 0.07 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) and the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 0.06 BCM. The Total Annual Ground Water Extraction has been estimated as 0.02 BCM. The Stage of Ground Water Extraction, which is a measure of Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses (irrigation, industrial and domestic uses) over Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource

is 30.93% . As per the latest assessment (2025), out of total 18 assessment units in the UT of Ladakh, only one(01) unit (5.56 %) has been characterized as 'Semi Critical' and rest all i.e. 17 units (94.44 %) are in 'Safe' category.

(b)  Union  Territory Administration  of  Ladakh  has  informed  that  no  such  study  has  been conducted regarding status of glacial retreat assessments for Ladakh's river basins including year-wise data since 2021 on glacial area loss, change in snow cover and spring discharge levels.

(c) As per CGWB, the year wise ground water resources availability i.e. Annual Extractable Groundwater Resource for the districts of Ladakh since 2022 is given in Table 1 below:

| S. No.   | District    |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (MCM) 2022 |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (MCM) 2023 |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (MCM) 2024 |   Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource (MCM) 2025 |
|----------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Kargil      |                                                 24.54 |                                                 28.49 |                                                 14.04 |                                                 14.05 |
| 2        | Leh         |                                                 48.65 |                                                 51.48 |                                                 46.63 |                                                 46.63 |
|          | Total (MCM) |                                                 73.19 |                                                 79.97 |                                                 60.67 |                                                 60.68 |

MCM: Million Cubic Meters

(d) UT of Ladakh has informed that Rs. 2162.51 lakhs have been allocated since 2022 out of which Rs. 1471.36 lakhs utilized for water conservation and recharge measure.

Further, CGWB is implementing the Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWMR) , a Central  Sector  Scheme  under  which  activities  related  to  quality  monitoring,  exploration, assessment and management of ground water resources are carried out across  the country. These efforts aim to support the sustainable management and improvement of groundwater levels nationwide.

Under the  GWMR scheme, funds are not allocated to  the  State/  UTs,  as  the  activities  are directly implemented by CGWB. CGWB provides technical support to the State Governments on groundwater related issues. No specific budget has been allocated to Leh & Ladakh.

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