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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA
REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3023
ANSWERED ON 06.08.2026
GROUNDWATER MAPPING FOR VAIGAI BASIN
3023. THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government has any proposal to undertake a
comprehensive groundwater mapping exercise for the Vaigai basin and its
adjoining areas and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government has also any integrated water management
plan for the Vaigai river basin covering irrigation, drinking water and
groundwater recharge; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c) Water resources projects relating to irrigation, drinking-water supply,
groundwater recharge and conservation are planned, implemented and
maintained primarily by the respective State Governments, as water is a State
subject. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the State
Governments through technical guidance and various programmes relating to
water-resource assessment, irrigation efficiency, drinking-water supply,
watershed development and groundwater recharge.
Ministry initiated the National Aquifer Mapping and Management
(NAQUIM) Programme in 2012 under the Ground Water Management and
1Regulation (GWMR) Scheme. Under NAQUIM 1.0, aquifer mapping covering the
entire identified mappable area of about 25.14 lakh sq. km of the country has
been completed. Subsequently, NAQUIM 2.0 was launched in 2023, under which
scientific and region-specific groundwater maps, aquifer management plans and
recharge plans are prepared using Geographic Information System (GIS),
advanced analytical techniques, remote sensing and satellite data. Aquifer
mapping under NAQUIM 1.0 has been completed for the Vaigai Basin, covering
the identified mappable area of about 6,662 sq. km out of the total basin area of
approximately 8,896 sq. km spread across parts of Madurai, Theni, Sivagangai,
Ramanathapuram and Dindigul districts.
Further, based on NAQUIM findings, the Central Ground Water Board has
prepared an Aquifer Management Plan for the Vaigai Basin adopting an
integrated approach to address declining groundwater levels, sustainability of
abstraction structures, low-yielding aquifers and seawater intrusion. The Plan
has been shared with the State Government and implementing agencies to
facilitate groundwater-management interventions in the Vaigai Basin.
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