Groundwater governance under climate change in India: lessons based on evaluation of World Bank interventions

Figures & data

Figure 1. Simplified framework of the climate, water (groundwater) and food security nexus.

Table 1. Groundwater potential and depletion in India, 2004–22.

Groundwater resources assessment	2004	2009	2011	2013	2017	2022
Annual replenishable groundwater resources (bcm)	433	431	433	447	432	438
Net annual groundwater availability (bcm)	399	396	398	411	393	398
Annual total ground water demand (bcm)	231	243	245	253	249	239
Stage of groundwater extraction (SGWE) (%)	58	61	62	62	63	60
Total assessed units (n)	5723	5842	6607	6584	6881	7089
Safe (%)	71	73	68	69	63	67
Semi-critical (%)	10	9	11	10	14	12
Critical (%)	4	3	3	4	5	4
Over-exploited (%)	15	14	16	16	17	14
Saline (%)	1	1	1	1	1	2

Sources: CGWB (2019, 2022).

Table 2. Threat of groundwater depletion by region in India, 2022.

Regions	Stage of groundwater extraction (%)	Categorization of assessment units (blocks/mandals/talukas)
		Total units (No.)	Safe (%)	Semi-critical (%)	Critical (%)	Over-exploited (%)	Saline (%)	National share of critical and over-exploited (%)
Northwestern	153	633	15	8	7	69	0	38
Western	54	617	77	13	2	6	3	4
Southern Peninsular	51	2817	65	14	4	15	3	42
Central	65	1317	69	19	4	7	0	12
Northern Himalayan	27	38	95	5	0	0		0
Eastern	44	1457	85	7	3	1	5	4
Northeastern	10	162	99	1	0	0	0	0
Islands	26	48	88	4	0	6	2	0
Total	60	7089	67	12	4	14	2	100

Source: CGWB (2022).

Figure 2. Theory of change for the analysis of the effectiveness of interventions in reducing groundwater depletion and associated vulnerabilities.

Figure 3. Groundwater depletion in selected Rajasthan Agricultural Competitiveness Project (RACP) villages, Rajasthan (% change, 2012–19).

Figure 4. Shift in cropping systems and micro-irrigation systems (MIS) in project villages, Rajasthan, 2012–19.

Figure 5. Groundwater depletion in project districts in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (% change, 2007–19).

Figure 6. Shift in cropping systems and micro-irrigation systems (MIS) in project districts, in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, 2007–19.

Figure 7. Filling of tanks in project districts, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over 12 years, 2007-2019, showing vulnerability to drought in selected semi-arid districts in India.

CGWB. (2019). National compilation on dynamic groundwater resources of India, 2017.

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CGWB. (2022). National compilation on dynamic groundwater resources of India. Central Ground Water Board, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Faridabad.

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