NEW DELHI: Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report 2023, which shows an increase in the country’s groundwater recharge by over two per cent and a decrease in number of over-exploited units. However, groundwater extraction has marginally increased as well.
The report pegged the total annual groundwater recharge in 2023 at 449.08 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM), an increase of 11.48 BCM, from the previous year. The annual ground water extraction stood at 241.34 BCM, against 239.16 BCM last year.
The increase in groundwater recharge is attributed to increase in recharge from canal seepage, return flow of irrigation water and recharges from water bodies or tanks, and water conservation structures. Major increase in groundwater recharge was noticed in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar. The main source of replenishable groundwater was, however, rainfall, which contributed to nearly 60 per cent of the total annual groundwater recharge.