NEW DELHI: The government has “stepped up” efforts towards groundwater conservation and sustainable water management by initiating a series of schemes and regulatory measures. Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary mentioned these initiatives in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, emphasising the Centre’s support to state governments in controlling groundwater depletion.
Launched in 2019, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) remains one of the primary rainwater harvesting and conservation missions. The 2024 phase covers 151 drought-prone districts with over 1.07 crore water conservation structures erected during the last four years.
The National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) Project of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) covered approximately 25 lakh square kilometres and important information is now available for states and districts to plan their groundwater.
In addition, the Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater 2020 outlines the establishment of 1.42 crore rainwater harvesting structures and projects harvesting 185 billion cubic meters of water. The Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme, launched in 2015-16, promotes water conservation in agriculture through the use of micro-irrigation. As of December 2024, it covered 94.36 lakh hectares, significantly enhancing water use.
The government has also restored nearly 69,000 water bodies under Mission Amrit Sarovar, enhancing the local water supply. To regulate groundwater drawing, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) also enforces laws in terms of guidelines under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and grants No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the withdrawal of groundwater.