Central Groundwater Board (CGWB)

Central Ground Water Board Latest News

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) recently stated in its Annual Ground Water Quality Report-2025 that Andhra Pradesh is one of the States facing widespread contamination of groundwater as per the BIS standards.

About Central Ground Water Board

• It is a multidisciplinary scientific organization of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
• It is the National Apex Agency entrusted with the responsibilities of providing scientific inputs for management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation, and regulation of groundwater resources of the country.
• It was established in 1970 by renaming the Exploratory Tube wells Organization under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. 
• It was merged with the Ground Water Wing of the Geological Survey of India during 1972.
• Mandate: Develop and disseminate technologies and monitor and implement national policies for the scientific and sustainable development and management of India’s groundwater resources.
• Organization Setup:
  • It is headed by the Chairman and has five members.
  • CGWB is a multidisciplinary scientific organization consisting of Hydrogeologists, Geophysicists, Chemists, Hydrologists, Hydrometeorologists, and Engineers.
  • It has four main wings, namely 
    • Sustainable Management & Liaison (SML)
    • Survey, Assessment & Monitoring (SAM)
    • Exploratory Drilling & Materials Management (ED&MM)
    • Water Quality & Training and Technology Transfer (WQ&TT). 
  • Headquarters: Bhujal Bhawan, Faridabad, Haryana.

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Major Activities of the Central Ground Water Board

• National Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQUIM) involving the preparation of Aquifer Maps and Management Plans.
• Groundwater explorations to delineate groundwater-worthy areas and potential aquifers.
• Geophysical surveys to delineate groundwater bearing zones, etc.
• Periodic assessment of the country’s groundwater resources.
• Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality through groundwater observation wells.
• Dissemination of Ground Water Data and knowledge.
• Groundwater modelling.
• GIS and Remote sensing.
• Regulation and control of groundwater development and management by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) in coordination with State Government Organizations.
• Coordination with the State Government with a view to establish benchmark methodologies for groundwater studies.
• R&D studies in the ground water sector and application and operationalization of new technologies/techniques for groundwater investigation, development, and management.
• Water conservation and artificial recharge to groundwater.
• Capacity building and knowledge transfer.

Source: TH