Parliament Question: Depletion of groundwater in the State of Punjab

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 270 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 DEPLETION OF GROUNDWATER IN THE STATE OF PUNJAB 270. Dr. VIKRAMJIT SINGH SAHNEY: Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is aware of the alarming rate of groundwater depletion in the State of Punjab; (b) latest data on groundwater level in Punjab during the last five years, year-wise, district-wise and block- wise; (c) whether it is a fact that Punjab Government have made multiple requests to add State of Punjab in Atal Bhujal Yojana but the State has not yet been added under the scheme and no grants received by the State under the scheme; and (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) monitors groundwater levels throughout the country on a regional scale including state of Punjab, on a regular basis. In order to assess the long-term fluctuation in ground water level, the water level data collected by CGWB for Punjab during Post Monsoon (2025) has been compared with the decadal mean of Post Monsoon levels (data of November months from 2015-2024), as presented in Annexure. Such analysis of water level data indicates that about approx. 57 % of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water levels. (b) The district-wise and block wise groundwater level data in meter below ground level (mbgl) from Post-monsoon 2025 to Post-monsoon 2021 can be accessed through the following web link : https://cgwb.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-01/annexure_to_parl._question_wl_in_punjab.pdf (c) & (d) Atal Bhujal Yojana was a pilot scheme for community led participatory groundwater management, implemented in priority water stressed areas of the country. The scheme had a fixed duration and outlay which has now ended its tenure after establishing a successful model of decentralized water governance, to be taken up by other states for replication and upscaling. *** 1ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 270 TO BE ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 02.02.2026 REGARDING “DEPLETION OF GROUNDWATER IN THE STATE OF PUNJAB”. District-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean (Post-Monsoon 2015 to 2024) and Post- Monsoon 2025 (Unconfined Aquifer) Total No. No. & % of wells showing change in water level No of wells of No Rise Fall Rise Fall District wells Change anal 0 2 0 2 > > szed to % to % % to % to % % No % No % No % 4 4 2 4 2 4 Amritsar 4 3 75.0% 1 25.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Barnala 3 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 100.0% 0 0.0% 3 100.0% 0 0.0% Bathinda 17 4 23.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 6 35.3% 3 17.6% 4 23.5% 4 23.5% 13 76.5% 0 0.0% Faridkot 13 4 30.8% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 30.8% 4 30.8% 1 7.7% 4 30.8% 9 69.2% 0 0.0% Fatehgarh Sahib 9 3 33.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 5 55.6% 1 11.1% 0 0.0% 3 33.3% 6 66.7% 0 0.0% Fazilka 10 10 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 10 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Ferozepur 5 3 60.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 40.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 60.0% 2 40.0% 0 0.0% Gurdaspur 12 7 58.3% 3 25.0% 1 8.3% 1 8.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 11 91.7% 1 8.3% 0 0.0% Hoshiarpur 19 10 52.6% 4 21.1% 3 15.8% 2 10.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 17 89.5% 2 10.5% 0 0.0% Jalandhar 9 2 22.2% 3 33.3% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 6 66.7% 3 33.3% 0 0.0% Kapurthala 6 3 50.0% 2 33.3% 0 0.0% 1 16.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 5 83.3% 1 16.7% 0 0.0% Ludhiana 9 1 11.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 6 66.7% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 8 88.9% 0 0.0% Malerkotla 1 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 0 0.0% Mansa 5 2 40.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 40.0% 1 20.0% 2 40.0% 3 60.0% 0 0.0% Moga 4 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 25.0% 0 0.0% 1 25.0% 2 50.0% 1 25.0% 3 75.0% 0 0.0% Pathankot 11 6 54.5% 1 9.1% 0 0.0% 3 27.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 7 63.6% 3 27.3% 1 9.1% Patiala 12 2 16.7% 1 8.3% 1 8.3% 1 8.3% 4 33.3% 3 25.0% 4 33.3% 8 66.7% 0 0.0% Rupnagar 7 7 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 7 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% S.A.S Nagar 6 3 50.0% 2 33.3% 0 0.0% 1 16.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 5 83.3% 1 16.7% 0 0.0% Sangrur 4 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 0 0.0% Sbs Nagar 3 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 33.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 66.7% 1 33.3% 2 66.7% 0 0.0% Sri Muktsar Sahib 9 7 77.8% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 22.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 7 77.8% 2 22.2% 0 0.0% Tarn Taran 7 3 42.9% 0 0.0% 1 14.3% 3 42.9% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 57.1% 3 42.9% 0 0.0% Grand Total 185 80 43.2% 17 9.2% 9 4.9% 38 20.5% 17 9.2% 23 12.4% 106 57.3% 78 42.2% 1 0.5% ***** 2