Rajasthan Plans 'Groundwater Conservation & Management Authority' Bill for Sustainable Water Use

The measure is significant in light of the fact that more than 72% of the water blocks in the desert state have been classified as "over-exploited" due to excessive water extraction and poor groundwater recharge.

According to an official, the number of exploited blocks in the state has increased in recent years. Farmers are also concerned about the problem of diminishing groundwater levels. Farmers believe that the government should turn its priority to addressing irrigation water issues, developing irrigation systems, and properly implementing projects like the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).

During the previous BJP government in the state, the ERCP was envisioned to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of 13 districts in eastern Rajasthan. Because of the huge cost involved, the current Congress administration has accepted a financial request of Rs 14,500 crore for the project and has been adamant that the Union grant it the status of a national project. According to the most recent assessment of the state's groundwater resources, conducted in 2022, only 38 of the 302 units (295 blocks and seven urban units) are in the "safe" category, while 219 are over-exploited, 22 are in the "critical" zone, 20 are in the "semi-critical" zone, and three units could not be assessed due to saline water.

In the recently concluded Budget Session of the Rajasthan Assembly, the minister in charge of the groundwater department, Mahesh Joshi, informed the House that the department has prepared a draught bill in accordance with the budget announcement to establish a "Ground Water Conservation and Management Authority." He stated that the bill had been sent to the finance department after integrating the law department's proposals.

The dynamic groundwater resources of Rajasthan were analysed jointly by the Central Ground Water Board and the state ground water department in September last year and approved by a state-level committee. The report stated that groundwater extraction was at 151.06 percent. The majority of water was extracted for irrigation purposes. All of the blocks in 14 of the 33 districts are over-exploited, implying that water extraction exceeds 100%. (extraction is more than recharge). Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Dausa, Dholpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Sawai Madhopur, and Sikar are among these districts.

Most blocks are safe in four districts: Banswara, Dungarpur, Ganganagar, and Hanumangarh. Where water extraction is up to 70%, those blocks are regarded safe. According to RK Mishra, superintending engineer of the groundwater department's Jaipur circle, the water levels of the designated wells are monitored before and after monsoon, and numerous other factors, such as population and industrial set-up in an area, are considered when carrying out the assessment.

"According to the most recent study, 219 blocks are classified as over-exploited. This is a higher figure than in past years. Due to excessive water extraction, the number of safe zones is decreasing while the number of over-exploited, critical, and semi-critical blocks is increasing," he informed. According to Mishra, the state of the blocks changes based on groundwater recharge and extraction.

The yearly extractable groundwater resource was 10.96 billion cubic metres (BCM) according to the assessment study, whereas the annual gross ground water extraction for all applications was 16.55 BCM, including 14.18 BCM for irrigation and 2.37 BCM for household and industrial use. According to farmer leader Rampal Jat, water works like magic and provides wealth to agriculture, and if governments manage the water issue effectively, many farmers will not need to take out loans.

"The governments' emphasis has been to build road infrastructure rather than address irrigation water concerns." Groundwater is continually being depleted. Rivers' extra water is being squandered. It has the potential to be used more effectively for irrigation projects, but it appears that governments are not prioritizing it," he said. Using Jaipur as an example, he stated that pea cultivation was once abundant in Jhotwara and surrounding areas, and the former government was considering establishing a dedicated "mandi" (wholesale market) for the crop, which could not be realized due to a constant reduction in yield due to a lack of water.

He claims that when irrigation projects are built, drinking water problems are solved. "The Indira Gandhi canal project in Rajasthan was built for irrigation purposes, but it is now linked to various drinking water projects," he explained. The canal is vital to irrigation in Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, and surrounding areas.

According to Ramdev Saini, a farmer in Jaipur, except for the northern region, which has the Indira Gandhi canal, most of the areas rely on groundwater and monsoon rains for water. He claims that wheat is one of the most water-intensive crops, and that if it is not provided enough water, the grain size suffers. He claims that crops grown with less water do not yield great yields. "The input cost is greatly lowered when there is enough water availability," stated another farmer.