Steps taken for sustainable groundwater management in the country

Source: The post is based on the article ‘Steps taken for sustainable groundwater management in the country”  published in PIB on 8th August 2023.

What is the News?

Minister of State for Jal Shakti has informed Lok Sabha about the steps taken for sustainable groundwater management in the country.

Groundwater Level in the country:

The Central Ground Water Board(CGWB) periodically monitors groundwater levels throughout the Country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells. 

Analysis of water level data collected by CGWB during November 2022 in comparison with the decadal mean of November (2012-2021) has revealed that about 61.1% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water level whereas about 38.9 % wells have registered fall in water level.

Steps taken for sustainable groundwater management in the country:

National Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQUIM) programme 

The Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater – 2020 has been prepared with respective State counterparts.The master plan includes artificial recharge in both rural and urban areas including water scarce cities.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA): It was launched in 2019 in water stressed blocks of 256 districts in the country with the primary aim to effectively harvest the monsoon rainfall through creation of artificial recharge structures, watershed management, recharge and reuse structures, intensive afforestation and awareness generation etc. 

– Further, to emphasize the importance of sustainability of groundwater for drinking water supply schemes, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2023 is targeting “Source sustainability for drinking water” for source strengthening/ sources stabilization of rural drinking water supply schemes.

Atal Bhujal Yojana: It was launched in collaboration with States in certain water stressed areas of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. 

– The primary aim of the scheme is demand side management through scientific means involving the local communities at village levels leading to sustainable groundwater management in the targeted areas.