Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Jal Shakti addressed concerns regarding the water crisis in India due to depleting groundwater levels and unequal water distribution. The Ministry detailed ongoing schemes and projects aimed at sustainable water management and augmentation. While acknowledging water as a State subject, the Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments. The National Water Policy (NWP) was formulated in 1987 and subsequently updated in 2002 and 2012.
Key Points / Main Content:
Groundwater Monitoring:
* The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) monitors groundwater levels regularly across the country.
* Data from November 2024 indicated a rise in groundwater levels in approximately 63% of wells compared to the decadal mean from November 2014 to November 2023.
Government Initiatives:
* Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA): A mission-mode program since 2019 focused on rainwater harvesting and water conservation. JSA 2025 emphasizes overexploited and critical areas, completing over 1.14 Cr water harvesting and recharge works in the past 4 years.
* Atal Bhujal Yojana: A community-led scheme for participatory groundwater management in 80 water-stressed districts across 7 States, incentivizing the construction of rainwater harvesting structures.
* PMKSY-AIBP: Promotes conjunctive use of surface and groundwater through Major and Medium irrigation projects in collaboration with States/UTs to reduce dependence on groundwater.
* Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme: Implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare since 2015-16, focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at the farm level through Micro Irrigation, covering 94.36 lakh ha until December 2024.
* Mission Amrit Sarovar: Aims to develop and rejuvenate at least 75 water bodies in each district, with nearly 69,000 Amrit Sarovars constructed/rejuvenated.
* National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM): Mapped approximately 25 lakh sq. km, delineating aquifer disposition and sharing management plans with State governments.
National Water Policy (NWP):
* The NWP was formulated in 1987 and updated in 2002 and 2012.
* NWP 2012 calls for rainwater harvesting, water conservation, aquifer mapping, regulation of extraction, and integrated development of surface and groundwater.
* It advocates for a river basin-based planning approach and scientific water distribution.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments:
* Impact: Primarily responsible for sustainable development and management of water resources.
* Action Required: Implement management plans provided by CGWB, take suitable field interventions, and collaborate with the Central Government on various schemes and projects.
Ministry of Jal Shakti:
* Impact: Facilitates the efforts of the State Governments by way of technical and financial assistance through its various schemes and projects.
* Action Required: Continue implementing and monitoring schemes like JSA and Atal Bhujal Yojana, promote conjunctive water use, and collaborate with other central ministries.
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare:
* Impact: Responsible for enhancing water use efficiency at the farm level.
* Action Required: Continue implementing the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme, focusing on Micro Irrigation and better on-farm water management practices.
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB):
* Impact: Monitors groundwater levels and provides aquifer mapping and management plans.
* Action Required: Continue regular groundwater level monitoring, aquifer mapping under NAQUIM, and sharing management plans with State governments.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The central government ministry responsible for water resources, river development, and Ganga rejuvenation in India.
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): An organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti that monitors groundwater levels throughout the country.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA): A mission mode program implemented by the Government of India since 2019 for harvesting rainfall and taking up water conservation activities.
Atal Bhujal Yojana: A community-led scheme for participatory ground water management focusing on demand side management in water-stressed districts.
PMKSYA-IBP: Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana - Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, a scheme for major and medium irrigation projects.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): A scheme implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare focusing on enhancing water use efficiency at the farm level through micro-irrigation.
Mission Amrit Sarovar: An initiative by the Government of India aimed at developing and rejuvenating water bodies in each district of the country.
National Water Policy (NWP): A policy formulated by the Ministry of Water Resources in 1987 and subsequently reviewed and updated in 2002 and 2012, addressing holistic and sustainable development of water resources.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3083
ANSWERED ON 07.08.2025
WATER CRISIS
†3083. DR. ANAND KUMAR SHRI RAKESH RATHOR
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware about the water crisis emerging in several States of the country due
to depleting groundwater level and inequality in water distribution;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the major schemes being run by the Government to deal with this
crisis; and
(c) whether the Government proposes to introduce an integrated national water policy in the future to
resolve water distribution disputes among States and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) & (b) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under this Ministry monitors groundwater levels
throughout the country at regular prescribed intervals. The perusal of data from the monitoring
conducted during November 2024 indicates that about 63% of the wells across the country recorded rise
in ground water levels on comparison with decadal mean water levels (from November 2014 to
November 2023).
However, water being a State subject, sustainable development and management of water
resources is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments. However, the Central Government
facilitates the efforts of the State Governments by way of technical and financial assistance through its
various schemes and projects. In this direction, the important steps taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti
(MoJS) and other central ministries for sustainable management and augmentation of water resources in
the country, by way of taking up water conservation and ground water recharge activities/works, with a
special emphasis on water stressed parts, are given below:-
i. The Government is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the country since 2019 in which
is a mission mode and time bound programme for harvesting the rainfall and taking up water
conservation activities. Currently, JSA 2025 is being implemented in the country with special
focus on over-exploited and critical areas. JSA is an umbrella campaign under which various
ground water recharge and conservation related works are being taken up in convergence with
1various central and state schemes. As per JSA dashboard, in the past 4 years, more than 1.14 Cr
water harvesting and recharge works have been completed through coordination in the country.
ii. MoJS is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, which is a community led scheme for participatory
ground water management focusing on demand side management of ground water in 80 water
stressed districts in 7 States. Construction of various rain water harvesting and recharge
structures like check dams, ponds, shafts etc. are incentivized under the scheme.
iii. M/o Jal Shakti is promoting conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater and to reduce
dependence on groundwater, surface water based Major and Medium irrigation projects have
been taken up in the country under PMKSY-AIBP scheme in collaboration with States/UTs.
iv. Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA & FW), GoI, is implementing Per Drop
More Crop (PDMC) Scheme in the country, since 2015-16, which focuses on enhancing water
use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation and better on-farm water management
practices to optimize the use of available water resources. From 2015-16 till December 2024,
an area of 94.36 lakh ha has been covered under micro irrigation in the country through PDMC
scheme.
v. Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched by the Government of India which aimed at developing
and rejuvenating at least 75 water bodies in each district of the country. As an outcome nearly
69,000 Amrit Sarovars have been constructed/rejuvenated in the country.
vi. CGWB has taken up National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)
with an aim to delineate aquifer disposition and their characterization. Entire mappable area of
the country of around 25 lakh sq. km, has been mapped under the scheme and management
plans have been shared with the respective State governments for taking up suitable field
interventions. The plans comprise of recommendations for both demand and supply side
measures.
(c) Realizing the significance of holistic and sustainable development of water resources in the country,
Ministry of Water Resources had formulated the National Water Policy (NWP) in 1987 itself which was
subsequently reviewed and updated in 2002 and 2012. From the ground water perspective, the NWP,
2012, inter-alia, calls for rainwater harvesting and conservation of water, mapping the aquifers of the
country, proper regulation of extraction by setting up regulatory authorities and integrated development
of surface and ground water. The NWP, 2012 also flags the need for adopting river basin based planning
approach and scientific distribution of water based on precise and transparent hydrological data.
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