GROUNDWATER DEPLETION, OVER-EXPLOITATION AND QUALITY MONITORING

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 in the country is 448.52 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) and the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resources is estimated as 407.75 BCM. Further, total Annual Ground Water Extraction of the entire country for the year 2025 has been assessed as 247.22 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 60.63% for the country as a whole.

Regarding categorization of units in terms of their stage of ground water extraction, out of the total 6762 Assessment Units (Blocks/Taluks/Mandals) in the country, 730 (10.80%) units have been categorized as ‘Over- exploited’ indicating ground water extraction exceeding the annually replenishable ground water recharge. Further, 201 units (2.97 %) have been categorized as ‘Critical’, 758 units (11.21 %) as ‘Semi-critical’ and 4946 units (73.14 %) are in ‘Safe’ category. Additionally, 127 assessment units (1.88%) are categorized as ‘saline’.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data of the country on a regional scale as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies conducted as per the approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Overall, the data on ground water quality indicates that the ground water in the country remains largely potable with localized occurrences of contaminants in isolated pockets.

State-wise distribution of major contaminants such as Arsenic, Fluoride, Nitrate and heavy metals, as per the Annual Ground Water Quality Report – 2025 can be viewed through the web link provided below:

NAQUIM (National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme) studies have been taken up across the country by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) for delineation and characterisation of aquifers and preparation of plans for ground water management. NAQUIM was initiated as a part of the ‘Ground Water Management and Regulation’ scheme and the entire mappable area of the country of about 25 lakh sq. kms has been mapped. State-wise details of coverage area under NAQUIM are presented in Annexure.

Further, ground water management studies/ plans have been prepared for the entire targeted area across the country covering all the 14 Principal aquifers and 42 major aquifers and District-wise aquifer maps and management plans for 654 Districts of the country, which include both supply side and demand side measures for sustainable management of ground water resources, have been shared with the concerned State/District administrations for taking up suitable field interventions.

Moreover, after the successful completion of NAQUIM 1.0, CGWB 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 improved groundwater management. Thus far, around 68 studies/reports have been completed under NAQUIM 2.0. and the Ministry of Jal Shakti is currently conducting stakeholder consultations on ground water extraction Guidelines.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

ANNEXURE

State-wise details of coverage area under NAQUIM