- Why in news
- On 22 January 2026, the Press Information Bureau released a explainer on groundwater management, listing monitoring stations, Jal Shakti Kendras and progress of schemes such as Atal Bhujal Yojana and JSJB.
- What it is
- Groundwater is water stored in soil and rock layers called aquifers. In India it meets about 62% of irrigation needs, 85% of rural and 50% of urban water use. Water is a State subject, so the Centre guides through the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Central Ground Water Board and centrally backed schemes.
- Model Groundwater Bill
- The Centre prepared a Model Bill for States to regulate groundwater; 21 States and UTs have adopted it, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
- JSA: Catch the Rain
- Launched on 22 March 2021, World Water Day. It includes setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts.
- NAQUIM 2.0
- The Central Ground Water Board runs NAQUIM 2.0 (2023 onwards) to map aquifers and give issue-based inputs up to Panchayat level.
- Master Plan for Artificial Recharge 2020
- Outlines about 1.42 crore recharge structures to channel 185 BCM of groundwater recharge.
Don’t confuse with NAQUIM vs Atal Bhujal Yojana: NAQUIM is a CGWB aquifer mapping programme; Atal Bhujal Yojana is a community-led, incentive-based management scheme in 7 States.
Don’t confuse with JSA: CTR vs JSJB: JSJB is a recharge-focused initiative launched on 6 September 2024 under the JSA: CTR campaign, which began in 2021.
Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.
Why it matters
- Groundwater is the main source for irrigation and drinking water, so its management underpins food and water security.
- Supports SDG 6, SDG 11 and SDG 12 and climate resilience.
Problems
- Water is a State subject, so the Model Bill works only where States adopt it.
- Cheap drilling and pumping technology drives unregulated extraction, while arsenic, fluoride and industrial pollution degrade quality.
Way forward
- Push wider adoption and enforcement of groundwater regulation by States.
- Combine supply-side recharge with demand-side management and community participation, backed by monitoring data.
Put in your answer
Dependence on groundwater: Groundwater meets nearly 62% of irrigation needs, 85% of rural consumption and 50% of urban demand.
Atal Bhujal design: Outlay of ₹6,000 crore split into ₹1,400 crore for institutional strengthening and ₹4,600 crore for incentive-based outcomes.
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q13Examine factors depleting groundwater in India and government mitigation steps
- 2018Mains GS1 · Q14How water harvesting can effectively address depleting groundwater in urban areas
- 2024Mains GS1 · Q14How declining Gangetic valley groundwater may affect India's food security
- 2020Prelims Q98Which statements on CGWA, overexploited districts, and India's groundwater irrigation are correct
- 2021Prelims Q62Whether groundwater exceeds rivers, lakes, polar ice caps and glaciers in volume
- 2023Prelims Q76Whether India's groundwater extraction share matches UN report and population needs
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting topic with Atal Bhujal Yojana and Jal Shakti Abhiyan; mostly routine data, so no question likely. Schemes are 16% of news-linked Prelims questions.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.