India’s battle against groundwater depletion scores a major win with 3.96 million recharge and harvesting projects finalized via the ‘Catch the Rain – Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari’ launched last September. This mass mobilization is injecting fresh vitality into parched aquifers.
Strategies encompass harvesting runoff, refilling sources, borewell revitalization, and strategic shafts, all geared to elevate levels and forestall droughts.
The Master Plan adapts tech to terrains, aiming for 14.2 million builds to restore 185 billion cubic meters— a colossal leap for national hydration.
Critical for farming, drinking, and biodiversity, groundwater suffers from rampant withdrawal, toxins, and climate shifts, demanding urgent, systemic intervention.
Policy overhauls, science-backed probes, infrastructure surges, and public buy-in define the roadmap. Nationwide, Jal Shakti oversees 43,000+ monitors, 712 centers, 53,264 labs.
Atal Bhujal, from 2019, fortifies seven states’ community management over 668,000 hectares with Rs 6,000 crore, prioritizing results and structures.
Amrit Sarovar’s 68,000 ponds since 2022—each storing 10,000 cubic meters—revive traditions while aligning with Jal Jeevan goals.
Unified under Model Bill (21 adopters), Abhiyan drives, Catch the Rain, 2020 Plan, Atal, and Sarovar, efforts ensure tracking and thrift. State forums sustain the drive.
This framework cements groundwater as climate armor, driving India’s path to water sovereignty.