31-07-2025
Punjab's groundwater crisis: 19 districts overexploited, says ministry in Lok Sabha
Chandigarh: In a grim indicator of Punjab's deepening water crisis, the central govt has identified 19 districts in the state as "over-exploited" and one as "critical" in terms of groundwater usage.
The categorisation reflects fast-depleting water tables and increasing stress on the state's groundwater resources.
According to a reply in the Lok Sabha by Union jal shakti ministry in response to a question by MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the 19 over-exploited districts include major agrarian and urban regions such as Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahih, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Mohali, Nawanshahr, Sangrur, and Tarn Taran.
Ropar was designated as "critical" under the 2025 Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) campaign.
These 20 districts were chosen by the Central Ground Water Board based on parameters such as declining groundwater levels, geographic distribution, and inclusion in the aspirational district framework. The categorisation aims to prioritise focused monitoring and implementation of water conservation measures at the grassroots level.
The ministry said that between 2021 and 2025, a total of Rs 1,186.06 crore was spent in Punjab under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. This includes Rs 417.96 crore on the renovation of traditional water bodies, Rs 337.49 crore on watershed development, Rs 338.40 crore on intensive afforestation, Rs 85.02 crore on water conservation and rainwater harvesting, and Rs 7.19 crore on reuse and recharge structures. An additional Rs 25 lakh was released to Punjab for GIS mapping of water bodies and preparation of district-level water conservation plans.
The Centre launched JSA: CTR on March 22, 2025, under the theme "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Jan Jagrukta Ki Ore", with an emphasis on community participation and convergence of govt schemes. Across Punjab, over 1.09 lakh water-related works were conducted over the last five years, and Jal Shakti Kendras (JSKs) were established in all 23 districts, each of which also drafted water conservation plans.
The ministry reiterated that "water is a state subject" but added that the Centre continues to provide both technical and financial assistance to support state-level efforts.
Nationwide, the campaign saw over 1.87 crore water-related interventions till July 26, 2025, and 712 JSKs were set up across India.
The overexploitation of groundwater, not only for agricultural irrigation but also for domestic and industrial purposes, has become a major challenge in Punjab. Concerns have been raised that without timely corrective measures, the state could face acute water shortages in the coming years.
MSID:: 123018665 413 |
