C.R. Patil Releases 2024 Groundwater Resource Assessment Report; Highlights Improved Sustainable Usage

Increased Groundwater Recharge and Reduced Over-Exploitation Mark Significant Progress in Water Resource Management.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, unveiled the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for 2024 on December 31, 2024. Prepared collaboratively by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States/UTs, the report provides crucial insights into the country’s groundwater resources and serves as a guide for policy interventions by stakeholders. Key Findings and Figures:

Total Annual Groundwater Recharge: Assessed at 446.90 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM).

Annual Extractable Groundwater Resource: Assessed at 406.19 BCM, after accounting for natural discharge.

Annual Groundwater Extraction: Estimated at 245.64 BCM, reflecting a national average extraction stage of 60.47%.

Categorization of Assessment Units

Out of the total 6,746 assessment units (Blocks/Mandals/Talukas):

73.4% (4,951 units) are categorized as "Safe."

10.5% (711 units) are "Semi-Critical."

3.05% (206 units) are "Critical."

11.1% (751 units) are "Over-Exploited."

1.8% (127 units) are classified as "Saline" due to brackish groundwater in phreatic aquifers.

Improvement in Groundwater Conditions

The assessment highlights significant improvements in groundwater management across the country:

Increase in Groundwater Recharge: Recharge from water bodies, tanks, and conservation structures has risen consistently over the last five assessments.

In 2024, recharge increased by 0.39 BCM compared to 2023 and by 11.36 BCM since 2017.

Decline in Over-Exploited Units: The percentage of over-exploited units has decreased from 17.24% in 2017 to 11.13% in 2024 (a slight improvement from 11.23% in 2023).

Improvement in Safe Units: The proportion of safe assessment units has risen from 62.6% in 2017 to 73.4% in 2024.

Key Drivers of Improvement

The report attributes the progress to increased recharge from water conservation efforts and infrastructure, such as:

Tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures.

Sustained focus on aquifer recharge initiatives under government schemes like Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

Challenges and Focus Areas

Despite the overall progress, some regions continue to face challenges related to saline groundwater and critical extraction levels. The Ministry emphasized the need for:

Scaling up water conservation efforts.

Expanding initiatives to reduce dependency on over-exploited aquifers.

Strengthening local water governance frameworks.

Vision for Future Groundwater Management

Speaking at the event, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, and Dr. Sunil Kumar Ambast, Chairman of CGWB, emphasized the importance of leveraging the report for sustainable groundwater use. Shri Subodh Yadav, Additional Secretary, highlighted the role of community participation and technology in addressing regional disparities in groundwater availability.

Minister’s Call to Action

Minister C.R. Patil urged stakeholders to intensify efforts for groundwater conservation and emphasized integrating modern technologies for real-time monitoring and management. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to water resources, especially in vulnerable and water-scarce regions.

The 2024 report underscores the progress made in groundwater management while providing a roadmap for continued improvements to secure India’s water future.