01/12/2016 ExploitationofGroundWater

PressInformationBureau
GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofWaterResources
01December201615:16IST
ExploitationofGroundWater

CentralGroundWaterBoardcarriesoutperiodicassessmentofreplenishablegroundwaterresourcesjointlywith
the State Government Departments of the Country including Punjab. As per the latest assessment, the total
annualreplenishablegroundwaterresourceoftheCountryisaround433BillionCubicMetres(BCM).Thenet
annualgroundwateravailabilityis398BCMoutofwhichannualgroundwaterutilization(draft)isestimatedas
245BCMandstageofgroundwaterdevelopment/exploitationis62%.

Outofthetotal6607assessmentunits(Blocks/Mandals/Talukas/Firkas/Districts)assessedinthecountry,1071
unitsarecategorisedasOverExploited.

GroundWaterResourcesEstimation(GEC1997)methodologyoutlinesaprocedureforestimatinggroundwater
availabilityforfutureirrigationuse.Groundwateravailabilityforfutureirrigationisworkedoutbydeducting
the existing draft for irrigation and projected demand for domestic and industrial use upto 2025 from the net
annualgroundwateravailability.

Asperthegroundwaterresourceassessment2011,groundwateravailabilityforfutureirrigationuseforIndiaas
awholeis154.71BCMandthatofPunjabis14.83BCM.Negativevaluesindicatethatoverallgroundwater
demandinthestateexceedsannualavailability.

MeasurestakenupbytheCentralGovernmenttocheckoverexploitationofgroundwaterinthecountryinclude
:

TheNationalWaterPolicy(2012)formulatedbyMinistryofWaterResources,RD&GR,interalia,advocates
conservation,promotionandprotectionofwaterandhighlightstheneedforaugmentingtheavailabilityofwater
throughrainwaterharvesting,directuseofrainfallandothermanagementmeasures.TheNationalWaterPolicy
(2012) has been forwarded to all State Governments/ UTs and concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central
Governmentforadoption.

ThisMinistryhascirculatedaModelBilltoalltheStates/UTstoenablethemtoenactsuitablegroundwater
legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 15
States/UTshaveadoptedandimplementedthegroundwaterlegislationonthelinesofModelBill.Inaddition,30
States/UTshavemaderainwaterharvestingmandatorybyenactinglawsorbyformulatingrules&regulationsor
byincludingprovisionsinBuildingbyelawsorthroughsuitableGovernmentOrders.

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under The Environment (Protection) Act,
1986forthepurposeofregulationandcontrolofgroundwaterdevelopmentandmanagementintheCountry.
Sofar,CGWAhasnotified162areasintheCountryforthepurposeofregulationofgroundwater.Underthe
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01/12/2016 ExploitationofGroundWater

CGWA guidelines, in notified areas, no permission is accorded to extract ground water through any energized
meansforanypurposeotherthandrinkingwater.However,fornonnotifiedareas,groundwaterwithdrawalby
industriesisregulatedbymeansofguidelines/criteriaasspecifiedasCGWA.

CGWBhasalsopreparedaconceptualdocumententitledMasterPlanforArtificialRechargetoGroundWater
inIndiaduring2013.TheMasterPlanenvisagesconstructionof1.11Crorerainwaterharvestingandartificial
rechargestructuresintheCountryatanestimatedcostofRs.79,178Crorestoharness85BCM(BillionCubic
Metre) of water. The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking,
domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose. The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for
implementation.

The Department of Rural Development has prioritized work related with Natural Resources Management
(including water harvesting) under MGNREGA and has issued a joint framework with this Ministry and
DepartmentofLandResources.ForFY201617,theStateshavetakenupatargetof8,82,325farmponds.

CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme during XII Plan, under the scheme of
GroundWaterManagementandRegulation.TheAquiferMappingisaimedtodelineateaquiferdispositionand
theircharacterizationforpreparationofaquifer/areaspecificgroundwatermanagementplanswithcommunity
participation.

MinistryofUrbanDevelopmenthascirculateditsModelBuildingByeLaws(2016)toallStateGovernments
which,interalia,incorporatesprovisionsforRainWaterHarvesting.

MinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChangehavemergedtwoseparateprogrammes,namely,National
LakeConservationPlan(NLCP)andNationalWetlandConservationProgramme(NWCP)intoanewIntegrated
SchemeofNationalPlanforConservationofAquaticEcoSystems(NPCA)forconservationandmanagementof
identifiedlakesandwetlandsinthecountry.

CGWBhasbeenorganizingmassawarenessprogrammesinthecountrytopromoterainwaterharvestingand
artificialrechargetogroundwater.

This information was given by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
RejuvenationSushriUmaBhartiinawrittenreplyinLokSabhatoday.

Samir/jk

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