Groundwater contains approximately 99% of the Earth’s liquid freshwater and provides numerous important social, economic, and environmental benefits, including the potential to combat climate change. In India, groundwater is the primary basis for agricultural activities and drinking water supply, meeting approximately 62% of irrigation needs, 85% of rural consumption, and 50% of urban demand.
Rapid population growth, agricultural intensification, industrial expansion, and urbanization have increased pressure on groundwater systems in the country. In this context, adopting scientifically informed and sustainable groundwater management practices has become imperative. While water administration falls under the jurisdiction of state governments, the central government, particularly through the Ministry of Jal Shakti and allied ministries, plays a supporting role by providing coordinated technical and financial support through various schemes and programs designed to strengthen groundwater conservation, regulation, and sustainable management across the country.
Understanding Groundwater
Groundwater is freshwater that percolates into soil and rocks, and is stored there before it is released naturally or extracted for human use. It maintains water levels in many rivers and streams, and greatly influences the habitats of plants and animals in wetlands. An underground layer that can store and hold significant quantities of groundwater is called an aquifer. Water from aquifers can flow naturally into springs, streams, and rivers, or it can be pumped through dug wells, tube wells, and bore wells.
Groundwater Management – Elements and Priorities
Groundwater management is an integral part of integrated water resources management and conservation. The fundamentals of groundwater management are the functions and uses of groundwater (aquifers), the problems and pressures (threats) they face, and the impact of management measures on the overall functioning of the groundwater system and its sustainability.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), effective groundwater management requires 4 key priorities to ensure sustainable and balanced use of groundwater resources:
The need for groundwater management
India has vast groundwater reserves whose physical characteristics and availability vary widely across regions, yet in recent decades these resources have faced increasing pressure due to overexploitation, declining quality and limited regulation, raising serious concerns about their long-term sustainability.
- Increasing pressure on groundwater systems: Intensive and large-scale unregulated water extraction has led to rapid and widespread decline in water levels in many parts of the country, reflecting increasing dependence on groundwater sources.
- Deterioration in water quality: Pollution from mining activities, industrial wastes and agricultural practices, combined with naturally occurring elements such as arsenic and fluoride, has led to a steady decline in groundwater quality, posing long-term environmental and public health risks.
- Factors driving uncontrolled exploitation: The rapid increase in groundwater exploitation has been driven by the availability of affordable drilling techniques and pumping technologies, enabling even small farmers and low-income households to construct and operate private tube wells.
- The growing groundwater crisis has further strengthened the government’s commitment to effective groundwater management, which was reaffirmed by India’s COP 21 commitment to combat climate change and support sustainable development. Effective groundwater management is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 6, SDG 11, and SDG 12.