India's annual groundwater recharge goes up by 15 billion cubic metres in 2024

New Delhi : India’s total annual groundwater recharge recorded a significant increase of 15 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2024, while extraction decreased by 3 BCM compared to the 2017 assessment, in a landmark achievement for the country’s sustainable development goal, according to a report released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Monday.

The increased recharge, mainly due to water bodies, tanks, and conservation structures, shows improvements in groundwater conditions in 128 units compared to 2023.

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), in collaboration with state Groundwater Departments, releases annual reports on groundwater resources.

According to the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024, the total annual groundwater recharge is assessed at 446.90 billion cubic metres (BCM), with an extractable resource of 406.19 BCM and an annual extraction of 245.64 BCM.

The year 2024 has seen positive advancements in several key areas, with notable highlights including recharge from tanks, ponds and WCSs (water control systems) has shown a consistent increase in the last five assessments. In the year 2024, it has increased by 0.39 BCM with respect to 2023.

With respect to the year 2017, there is an increase of 11.36 BCM in recharge from tanks, ponds & WCS (from 13.98 BCM in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024).

The percentage of Assessment Units under the Safe Category has increased from 62.6 per cent in 2017 to 73.4 per cent in 2024. The percentage of Over Exploited Assessment units has declined from 17.24 per cent in 2017 to 11.13 per cent in 2024.

The report also lists improvements in the quality of groundwater as 81 per cent of groundwater samples were found suitable for irrigation, with 100 per cent of groundwater samples from the northeastern states being rated "excellent" for irrigation, underscoring the favourable conditions for agriculture in the region.

Maintaining groundwater quality is just as crucial as its recharge for sustainable water management. Key pollutants such as arsenic, fluorides, chlorides, uranium, and nitrates pose serious health risks, either through direct toxicity or long-term exposure. Additionally, Elevated Electrical Conductivity (EC) can indicate contamination from agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, or saline intrusion, while Iron contamination may lead to gastrointestinal issues, highlighting the importance of careful water quality monitoring.

To assess the critical areas impacted by contamination, the Annual Groundwater Quality Report for 2024 offers a comprehensive analysis of groundwater quality across India, drawing insights from data collected at over 15,200 monitoring locations and 4,982 trend stations. The report emphasizes the importance of not only preserving groundwater but also ensuring its quality for effective, long-term water management.

These positive outcomes are the result of collaborative efforts between the state and Central governments. The Centre also provides further financial assistance to states through the 15th Finance Commission grants for rainwater harvesting and other water conservation activities, according to the official statement.

The government’s initiatives to preserve water and ensure its availability for future generations include several initiatives such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) which focuses on water conservation and water harvesting structures, enhancing rural water security. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), which was launched in 2019, is now in its 5th phase ("Catch the Rain" 2024), focusing on rainwater harvesting and water conservation across rural and urban districts through the convergence of various schemes.

The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 also supports rainwater harvesting via stormwater drains and promotes groundwater recharge through 'Aquifer Management Plans'.

Besides, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has formulated guidelines for the states to adopt measures suitable to local conditions, such as Unified Building Bye Laws (UBBL) of Delhi, 2016, Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL), 2016 and Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014 with adequate focus on the requirement of rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures.

The other schemes that focus on groundwater are the Atal Bhujal Yojana (2020) which targets water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 80 districts across 7 states, focusing on groundwater management and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) which aims to expand irrigation coverage and improve water use efficiency along with its Watershed Development Component that focuses on rainwater harvesting.

Besides, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has set up the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) under the National Water Mission in October 2022, to act as a facilitator for the promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries, etc. in the country.

Mission Amrit Sarovar which aims to create or rejuvenate 75 Amrit Sarovars in every district for water harvesting and conservation and National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) which has been completed by the CGWB for over 25 lakh square km, supporting groundwater recharge and conservation plans have also helped.