India Groundwater: a Valuable but Diminishing Resource
Recently the Standing Committee on Water Resources has released ‘Ground Water: A Valuable but Diminishing Resource Report’.
The report highlights that India is now the top ground water extracting country in the world. India alone is responsible for 25% of the world’s groundwater extraction.
Ground water meets 67% of India’s irrigation needs and 80% of its drinking water requirements.
Key Findings of report-
- About 14 percent of India’s 7,089 groundwater assessment units are classified as over-exploited. Another 4 per cent units fall under the category of severe-exploitation.
- India has registered an overall decrease (15.99%) in terms of the number of over-exploited groundwater assessment units in 2020. In the year 2017, this number was 17.23%.
- Ground water is being over-exploited due to subsidized electricity and cultivation of water-intensive crops.
- The National Water Mission does not have enough funds. Also, it has not been given much autonomy in functioning.
Key Recommendations of the Report
- The Central Government should provide assistance to the States through separate schemes/programmes for ground water management.
- On the basis of the model bill proposed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, all the states should be motivated to enact laws regarding ground water.
- Indian Easement Act, 1882 (India Easement Act, 1882) needs to be amended.
- The Act gives the landowners the right to use groundwater, but also makes provisions for accepting it as a community resource.
- Community participation in ground water management should be encouraged.
Initiatives taken by the government for ground water management –
- National Program for Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQIM) has been launched.
- Atal Ground Water Scheme is being implemented.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is under implementation.
- Catch the Rain campaign has been launched.
- The right crop campaign is being run.
Source – Indian Express