Decline in Ground Water Level

CategorySocial

Last Updated06/08/2021

Ground water levels in some parts of the Country are declining because of continuous withdrawal necessitated by increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagaries of rainfall, increased population, industrialization & urbanization etc.
According to the Minor Irrigation Census, the groundwater level in India has declined by 61 percent between 2007 and 2017
Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including conservation & water harvesting in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring the groundwater levels throughout the Country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells.
Analysis of water level data indicates that about 38% of the wells monitored have registered declines in groundwater levels, mostly in the range of 0.0 – 2.0 m.
About 62 % of wells have also registered a rise in groundwater levels mostly in the range of 0.0 - 2.0 m.

It was launched in 2019, a time-bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water-stressed blocks of 256 districts in India.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain’ campaign has been launched by Prime Minister of India in March 2021.

It has been formulated by the Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
It also advocates conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a scientifically planned manner through community participation.

NAQUIM, implemented by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sustainable management of Ground Water Resources.

It is a Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation.
AtalJal is being implemented in 81 water stressed districts and 8774 Gram Panchayats of seven States viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
It is a Rs.6000 crore scheme with World Bank funding, for sustainable management of ground water with community participation is being taken up in the identified over-exploited and water stressed areas fall in 7 states.
This scheme is implemented by Ministry of Jalshakti, Department of Water Resources.

Central Government supports construction of water harvesting and conservation works primarily through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), PradhanMantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana – Watershed Development Component (PMKSY-WDC).
Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 has been prepared by CGWB in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country
CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme during XII Plan, under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.
The Aquifer Mapping is aimed to delineate aquifer disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/ area specific ground water management plans with community participation.
Department of Water Resources, RD& GR has instituted National Water awards to incentivize good practices in water conservation and ground water recharge.
Mass awareness programmes are conducted from time to time each year under the information, Education & Communication (IEC) Scheme of DoWR, RD & GR in various parts of the Country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.