India is stepping up measures to curb declining groundwater levels by enhancing rainwater harvesting, improving water-use efficiency and enforcing stricter regulations, the government said on Monday.

In a written reply to Parliament, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary outlined a series of initiatives aimed at groundwater conservation, including the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, which has been running since 2019 to boost rainwater harvesting and water conservation. The latest phase, JSA 2024, is targeting 151 water-stressed districts, he said.

Choudhary added that more than 10.7 million water conservation structures have been built under the campaign over the past four years.

Other efforts include the National Aquifer Mapping Project, which has mapped 2.5 million square kilometers of aquifers, and a master plan for artificial groundwater recharge, which aims to build 142 million recharge structures across the country.

Promoting Efficient Water Use

The government is also promoting efficient water use through the Per Drop More Crop scheme, which has covered 9.4 million hectares with micro-irrigation since 2015. Additionally, nearly 69,000 water bodies have been rejuvenated under the Mission Amrit Sarovar initiative.

Despite these measures, groundwater depletion remains a concern. While water management is primarily the responsibility of state governments, the Central Ground Water Authority has been enforcing groundwater extraction regulations through a permit system and environmental compensation charges for violations.

Community Participation in Water Management

The government has also sought to make groundwater management a community-led effort. The Atal Bhujal Yojana, implemented in seven states, focuses on water budgeting at the village level, while public awareness campaigns and training programs have been rolled out to educate communities on groundwater conservation.

The impact of these efforts has begun to show, with groundwater recharge increasing from 433 billion cubic meters in 2017 to 446.9 billion cu. m in 2024, Choudhary said.

However, experts warn that continued and expanded intervention is needed to address growing water demand and climate change pressures on India’s groundwater resources.

Also Read:

India and ADB Partner on $50M Water Harvesting Initiative in Meghalaya