Groundwater extraction this year down 6 billion cubic metres from 2020

Groundwater extraction this year down 6 billion cubic metres from 2020

Subject: Geography  

Context-

Annual groundwater extraction for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses has come down by about 6 billion cubic metres (bcm) to 239 bcm in 2022 from 2020, shows the latest groundwater assessment report released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

About the Report-

• Report title- National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources Of India, 2022.
• Released by Ministry of Jal shakti
• Data collected by Central Groundwater Board (CGWB).

What the report says-

• The total annual groundwater recharge for the entire country as of 2022 has increased by 1.29 bcm as compared to the last assessment (2020).
• The total annual extractable GW resources have also increased by 0.56 bcm.
• The annual groundwater extraction for irrigation, domestic and Industrial uses has also decreased by 5.76 bcm during this period.
• About 87% of total annual groundwater extraction i.e. 208.49 bcm is for irrigation use.
• Only 30.69 bcm is for domestic and industrial use, which is about 13% of the total extraction.
• The annual groundwater extraction has seen a decline since 2017 when it came down 249 bcm from a record high of 253 bcm in 2013.
• Before 2013, the figure for annual groundwater extraction had seen an upward trend: 231 bcm in 2004, 243 bcm in 2009 and 245 in 2013.
• No specific reasons have been given in the report for a sharp decline in the extraction of groundwater for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses during 2022.
• The report says these variations are attributed mainly to the refinement of parameters, refinement in well census data and changing groundwater regime.
• The annual groundwater recharge was assessed at around 438 bcm in 2022 — up from 436 bcm in 2020 and 432 in 2017.
• But this was lower than the 447 bcm annual groundwater recharge assessed in 2013.

Impact of covid-19-

• The report says the monitoring of the groundwater resources was affected by the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
• In the years 2020 and 2021, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 throughout the country, the field activities of CGWB including monitoring of water levels have been severely affected.
• The water levels could not be monitored for consecutively two pre-monsoon (April/May) seasons in the years 2020 and 2021.
• Water levels could not be monitored in some states during November 2020 for the same reason.

Groundwater scenario in India-

• India has 16% of the world’s population, but only 4% of its freshwater resources.
• Given the existing consumption patterns, including rampant groundwater extraction, estimates suggest that by 2030, India will only have half of the water it needs.
• India is by far the largest user of groundwater in the world, accounting for 25% of the global water withdrawals; ~ 45% of the water supply in India’s cities is sourced from groundwater.
• The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) estimates that about 17% of the groundwater blocks across the country are overexploited, where the rate of extraction is more than that of renewal.
• According to the CGWB, with 230 BCM (billion cubic metres) of groundwater drawn out each year for irrigating agricultural lands in India, many parts of the country are experiencing rapid depletion of groundwater.
• The total estimated groundwater depletion in India is about 122–199 BCM.
• The agriculture sector uses 89% of the groundwater for irrigation while 11% is used by the domestic and industrial sectors.
• At the State level, in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi groundwater extraction is more than 100%.

Groundwater resource and Use in India- Fast Facts:

• Total usable water resources- 1,123 BCM/year; out of which the share of surface water is 690 BCM/year and that of groundwater is 433 BCM/year
• After keeping aside 35 BCM/year for natural discharge, the net annual ground water availability for India is 398 BCM.
• Natural discharge occurs as seepage to water bodies or oceans in coastal areas and as transpiration by plants whose roots extend up to the water table.