Water Resources: Availability, Crisis, and Policy Framework

3.1 Water Availability and Utilization

Rajasthan receives only 1.16% of the country's annual surface water despite comprising 10.4% of its land area — a fundamental geographic asymmetry. Annual available surface water is approximately 40,000 MCM (Million Cubic Metres), of which only about 50% is currently utilized. The remainder flows out unutilized due to storage and infrastructure deficits.

Groundwater availability: Rajasthan has 21 river basins and sub-basins. The western arid zone has extremely limited groundwater owing to low recharge rates. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) classifies groundwater blocks into: Safe, Semi-Critical, Critical, and Over-Exploited.

Critical statistic: As of 2024, over 80% of Rajasthan's groundwater blocks are over-exploited or critical — meaning extraction exceeds annual recharge. This is one of the most severe groundwater crises in any Indian state.

District Category	Groundwater Status
Jaipur, Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu	Over-exploited (very high extraction)
Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner	Desert — naturally low recharge
Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar	Relatively better (Chambal basin recharge)
Ganganagar, Hanumangarh	Canal-dependent; groundwater saline in parts

Source: CGWB State Report, Rajasthan; Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26

3.2 Fluoride Contamination

Fluoride contamination in groundwater is a major public health and agricultural challenge affecting 29 of Rajasthan's 33 districts. Excess fluoride (beyond 1.5 mg/litre WHO limit) causes dental and skeletal fluorosis. Jaipur, Nagaur, Barmer, Jalore, Ajmer, Sikar, and Barmer are severely affected. Agriculture in these zones uses contaminated groundwater for irrigation, causing soil fluoride build-up and crop quality issues.

Remedial measures include: Jal Jeevan Mission surface water pipelines, defluoridation units, and the ERCP project (which supplies treated surface water from eastern rivers, bypassing contaminated groundwater in eastern and southern districts).

3.3 Jal Jeevan Mission in Rajasthan

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), also branded Har Ghar Jal, aims to provide individual household tap connections with safe drinking water. In Rajasthan:

• Rural household connections: 59.61 lakh (cumulative), with 8.26 lakh connections added in 2024-25 (up to December 2024).
• JJM projects sanctioned: 11,159 Single Village Schemes (SVS) + 139 major multi-village projects, at a total cost of ₹93,427 crore.
• The 81% rural household coverage (nationally) includes Rajasthan's pipeline infrastructure that serves as a foundation for ERCP water delivery.

Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26, Chapter 2

3.4 Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan

The Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan is a flagship water harvesting and conservation program. Over 4,200 villages benefited through construction/repair of johads, anicuts, nadi (village ponds), and check dams. The abhiyan integrates MGNREGS, PMKSY, and state funds to create decentralized water structures across arid districts.

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