Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report, 2024

Context

In late 2024, the Union Minister of Jal Shakti released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report, 2024. The report highlights a net improvement in India's groundwater status, characterized by higher recharge rates and a reduction in long-term extraction compared to 2017 levels.

Key Trends (2024 vs. 2017)

• Recharge Growth: Total annual groundwater recharge has reached 446.90 BCM, driven by increased rainwater harvesting and conservation efforts.
• Sustainability Indicators: Annual extraction stands at 245.64 BCM, with the national stage of extraction at 60.47%, indicating overall sustainability at the macro level.
• Category Shifts: * 'Safe' Units: Increased from 62.6% in 2017 to 73.4% in 2024.
  • Over-exploited Units: Decreased from 17.24% in 2017 to 11.13% in 2024.
• Regional Concentration: Despite national improvements, over-exploitation remains severe in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Gujarat.

Causal Analysis of Groundwater Depletion

1. Agrarian Over-extraction: Approximately 62% of India's irrigation depends on groundwater. The dominance of water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane in Northwest and Peninsular India is a primary driver of stress.
2. Hydro-geological Constraints: Roughly two-thirds of India consists of hard rock terrains where storage is limited to fractured zones, making extraction difficult to sustain.
3. Policy & Energy Distortions: Heavily subsidized or free electricity in states like Punjab and Haryana encourages indiscriminate pumping.
4. Climate Sensitivity: Nearly 61% of recharge is dependent on rainfall, making the resource highly vulnerable to monsoon variability and climate change.

Government Initiatives

• NAQUIM & NAQUIM 2.0: Scientific mapping of aquifers to enable micro-level management.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL): A community-led program focusing on demand-side management in water-stressed blocks.
• Master Plan for Artificial Recharge (2020): A massive structural intervention aiming to harness 185 BCM of monsoon rainfall through 1.42 crore structures.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: A nationwide campaign focusing on "Catch the Rain" to promote rainwater harvesting.

Critical Challenges

• Human Security: With groundwater supplying 85% of rural drinking water, depletion poses a direct risk to basic human security.
• Quality Hazards: Beyond quantity, 127 assessment units are saline, and issues with arsenic and fluoride contamination persist in stressed aquifers.
• Governance Gaps: As groundwater is a State subject, regulation is often fragmented, leading to uneven adoption of scientific norms.

Way Forward

• Demand-Side Reform: Rationalizing power subsidies and shifting cropping patterns to bring the stage of extraction sustainably below 60%.
• Data-Driven Governance: Utilizing the IN-GRES (GIS-based platform) for real-time monitoring and annual assessments to allow for swift policy corrections.
• Community Stewardship: Scaling up participatory management models to cover more water-stressed Gram Panchayats.

Conclusion

The 2024 report provides a basis for cautious optimism. While management practices have improved the "Safe" categorization of many units, the persistence of regional imbalances and climate risks necessitates a transition toward aquifer-based planning and climate-resilient governance to ensure long-term water security.