Context:
Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment Report 2024 was released recently.
About the report:
- Released by – Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Carried out jointly by – Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States/UTs.
Key Highlights of the report:
- Recharge:
- Total annual groundwater recharge decreased marginally from 2023 (449 BCM) to 446.90 BCM.
- Rainfall contributes nearly 61% to this.
- Extraction:
- Annual extractable groundwater resources decreased marginally from 407.21 BCM to 406.19 BCM.
- Overall stage of groundwater extraction increased from 59.21% to 60.47%.
- Categories:
- Safe Category: Assessment units increased marginally from 73% (2023) to 73.4% (2024).
- Critical Category: 3.05% assessment units.
- Over-exploited Category: 11.1% assessment units.
- Concentration of Over-exploited Units:
- North West: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Western UP.
- West: Rajasthan, Gujarat.
- South: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh.
Definitions:
- Overexploited: Groundwater extraction exceeding annually replenishable groundwater recharge.
- Critical: Groundwater extraction between 90-100% of annual extractable resources.
- Safe: Groundwater extraction less than 70%.
Factors Behind Groundwater Depletion
- Irrigation:
- Excessive use for irrigation (>60%).
- Poor practices like flood irrigation.
- Cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice.
- Recharge:
- Decreasing due to loss of vegetation.
- Spatial and temporal variation in rainfall.
- Climate Change:
- Erratic rainfall patterns impacting groundwater recharge.
Central Groundwater Board (CGWB):
- Established in 1970 by renaming the Exploratory Tube wells Organization (ETO).
- A multi-disciplinary scientific organization with hydrogeologists, geophysicists, chemists, hydrologists, hydrometeorologists, and engineers.
- Ministry – Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Purpose: Develop groundwater policies and programs.
- Headquarters: Located in Faridabad, Haryana.
Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA):
- Constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- Responsibility: Regulation and control of groundwater development and management in India.
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct:
As per the report of Niti Aayog, the following is the data – Safe-71%, Semi-critical-10%, Critical-4%, and Over Exploited-15%.