India’s groundwater governance is in better shape
26-08-2023
11:35 AM
1 min read
Why in News?
- Data show that India, with nearly 18% of the world’s population, occupies about 2.4% of the total geographical area and consumes 4% of total water resources.
- A World Bank report says that India is the largest groundwater user and a rapidly growing economy and population are straining the country’s groundwater resources.
What is the importance of Groundwater?
- Groundwater is the water that seeps through rocks and soil and is stored below the ground. The rocks in which GW is stored are called aquifers.
- This hidden resource accounts for just 62% of the total water and 30% of the freshwater available on earth.
- The theme of UN World Water Day 2022 was ‘Groundwater, Making the Invisible Visible’ is a reflection of the importance given to the resource across the globe.
- Groundwater is the backbone of India’s agriculture and drinking water security in rural and urban areas, meeting nearly 80% of the country’s drinking water and two-thirds of its irrigation needs. Hence, Groundwater is pivotal to India’s water security.
Groundwater and its Availability in India
- As a vast country, India has distinct and varying hydro-geological settings. For example,
- Hard-rock aquifers of peninsular India: These represent around 65% of India’s overall aquifer surface area, mostly found in central peninsular India.
- Alluvial aquifers of the Indo-Gangetic plains: Found in the Gangetic and Indus plains in Northern India, these have significant storage spaces.
- Groundwater availability in India:
- Out of the 1,123 BCM (Billion Cubic Meter) /year usable water resources of the country, the share of GW is 433 BCM/year and setting aside 35 BCM for natural discharge, the net annual GW availability for the entire country is 398 BCM.
How serious is the groundwater crisis in India?
- Given the interdependence of water, the environment and socioeconomic well-being, the challenges in Groundwater resource management are complex and multifaceted.
- These include -
- Unregulated extraction
- Excessive irrigation
- Poor knowledge of Groundwater management system
- GW pollution
- Climate change
- As per the 2021 CAG report, Groundwater extraction in India increased from 58% to 63%, between 2004-17, exceeding the Groundwater recharge rate and over extraction at the current rate can threaten nearly 80% of drinking water over next two decades.
- Climate change effects such as intermittent rainfall further alters the recharge potential, posing a huge threat to equitable, healthy and pollution-free access to Groundwater.
What are the steps taken by the Central Government for Sustainable Groundwater Management?
- Collaborating with States and Union Territories: In this process, certain important deliverables have been identified that include -
- A reduction in groundwater extraction to below 70%,
- Increasing the network of groundwater observation wells,
- Installing digital water level recorders for real-time monitoring,
- Periodic monitoring of groundwater quality,
- Aquifer mapping and data dissemination,
- Having better regulation of groundwater extraction by industries, and
- Promoting participatory groundwater management and even periodic groundwater resource assessment.
- Creation of Jal Shakti Ministry in 2019: This is a much-needed policy reform that resulted in the merger of the former Ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation with the Ministries of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
- Enabling community participation: The Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched subsequently to transform Jan Shakti into Jal Shakti through asset creation, rainwater harvesting (‘Catch the Rain’ campaign) and extensive awareness campaign.
- Initiatives for the effective management and regulation of groundwater: Examples being the Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) and the National Project on Aquifer Management (NAQUIM).
- With the goal of “participatory groundwater management”, ABY looks to inculcate behavioural change made possible by incentivisation.
- NAQUIM envisages the mapping of sub-surface water bearing geological formations (aquifers) to help gather authentic data and enable informed decision-making.
- Region-wise aquifer management plans are being prepared and shared with States.
- Dynamic groundwater assessments: It will be done annually and a groundwater estimation committee formed to revise the assessment methodology. A software, ‘India-Groundwater Resource Estimation System (IN-GRES)’, has also been developed.
How did the groundwater management efforts fare?
- The findings of the groundwater assessment 2022 indicate a positive inclination in the management of groundwater.
- For example, there has been
- A reduction in the number of ‘overexploited’ groundwater units and increase in the number of ‘safe’ category units as compared to 2017.
- An improvement in groundwater conditions in 909 units.
- A reduction in annual extraction (of about 9.53 BCM); the data for irrigation, industrial and domestic use, respectively, is 208.49 BCM, 3.64 BCM and 27.05 BCM.
- Overall extraction saw a declining trend, of about 3.25% since 2017.
- The government’s interventions reflect the spirit of cooperative federalism in managing GW.
What more can be done for effective groundwater management?
- Communities will have to manage their groundwater resources better with the help of various government agencies and NGOs.
- In the context of climate change, as uncertainties will increase with connection with groundwater resources, efforts must be made to find solutions that are essential for sustainable development.
- It is important to ensure source sustainability to provide safe drinking water to all rural households by 2024, under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Conclusion
- As one of the fastest growing economies, India will need adequate groundwater resources to manage anthropogenic pressures.
- This is a new beginning and steps must be taken to make India a water surplus nation, thus fulfilling the objective of a key UN Sustainable Development Goal (6) - clean water and sanitation for all.
Q1) What are the reasons for groundwater depletion?
Groundwater depletion is primarily caused by unregulated extraction, excessive irrigation, poor knowledge of Groundwater management system, GW pollution, and worsening climate change.
Q2) Which states are under Atal Bhujal Yojana?
Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented in 8,565 Gram Panchayats of 80 districts in 7 States, namely, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with an aim to improve community-led sustainable groundwater management.
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