The Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri CR Patil released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for the entire country for the year 2024 on 31 December 2024.
National Groundwater Status:
- Annual Groundwater Recharge:
- Total: 446.90 BCM
- After natural discharge: 406.19 BCM (annual extractable resource).
- Annual Groundwater Extraction:
- Total: 245.64 BCM
- Stage of Extraction: 60.47% (average for the country).
Assessment Units (6746 in total):
- Safe: 4951 units (73.4%)
- Semi-critical: 711 units (10.5%)
- Critical: 206 units (3.05%)
- Over-exploited: 751 units (11.1%)
- Saline: 127 units (1.8%)
Key Observations:
- Improvement in Recharge:
- Recharge from tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures (WCS) has shown a consistent increase, with a 0.39 BCM rise in 2024 compared to 2023.
- Over-exploited Units:
- Over 11% of units remain over-exploited, requiring urgent interventions to prevent depletion.
- Saline Units:
- Salinity in some regions highlights challenges in groundwater quality.
Implications:
The report is pivotal for:
- Policy Formulation: Helps stakeholders (state governments, water management bodies) strategize sustainable water use.
Intervention Prioritization: Focus on critical and over-exploited areas for groundwater management.
