Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for the entire country for the year 2024 released by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, on 31 December.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States/UTs jointly carried out this assessment, which various stakeholders can use to take appropriate interventions.
As per the assessment, the total annual groundwater recharge in the country is estimated at 446.90 billion cubic metres (BCM).
Keeping an allocation for natural discharge, the annual exploitable groundwater resource is estimated at 406.19 BCM.
The annual groundwater exploitation for all uses is 245.64 BCM.
The average level of groundwater exploitation for the country is 60.47%.
Out of total 6746 assessment units (Blocks/Mandals/Talukas) in the country, 4951 (73.4%) assessment units are classified as ‘safe’.
711 (10.5%) assessment units are classified as “semi-critical”, 206 (3.05%) assessment units are classified as ‘critical’ and 751 (11.1%) assessment units are classified as ‘over-exploited’.
Apart from these, there are 127 (1.8%) assessment units which are classified as ‘brackish’ because the major portion of the groundwater in the phreatic aquifers in these units is saline or saline.
There is a significant increase in total annual groundwater recharge (15 BCM) and decrease in exploitation (3 BCM) in 2024 from the 2017 assessment.
Recharge from tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures has shown a consistent increase in the last five assessments.
In the year 2024, it has increased by 0.39 BCM as compared to 2023.
With respect to the year 2017, recharge from tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures has increased by 11.36 BCM (from 13.98 BCM in 2017 to 25.34 BCM in 2024).
The percentage of assessment units under the protected category has increased from 62.6% in 2017 to 73.4% in 2024 (the percentage of protected assessment units was 73.14% in 2023).
The percentage of over-exploited assessment units has decreased from 17.24% in 2017 to 11.13% in 2024 (the percentage of OE assessment units was 11.23% in 2023).
