Water Resources of India

2.1 Surface Water

India's total annual precipitation is ~4,000 BCM, but only 1,869 BCM flows as river discharge (the rest evaporates, transpires, or percolates). Of this, only 690 BCM is technologically and economically feasible to utilize as surface water — the rest flows into the sea before it can be stored.

Major river basin water resources:

River System	Annual Water Availability (BCM)
Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna	585 + 468 + others = ~1,100
Deccan Rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri)	~280 combined
Indus (India's share)	~73
West-flowing rivers (Narmada, Tapi, coastal)	~113

Major storage capacity: India has ~5,700 large dams (2nd largest in world after China); total live storage capacity ~216 BCM.

Key dams: Tehri (2.6 BCM), Sardar Sarovar (9.5 BCM), Hirakud (5.8 BCM), Nagarjunasagar (11.6 BCM), Bhakra (9.9 BCM — in Gobind Sagar reservoir).

2.2 Groundwater

India is the world's largest groundwater extractor — extracting ~253 BCM/year (CGWB 2023). Key issues:

• Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan: Most over-exploited groundwater states; Green Revolution's irrigation boom caused rapid depletion
• CGWB assessment (2023): ~16% of assessment units are "Over-exploited" (extraction > recharge); another 4% "Critical"
• National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM): Under Ministry of Jal Shakti; mapping India's aquifer systems for sustainable management

2.3 Water Conservation and Management

Jal Jeevan Mission (2019): Provides functional household tap connections to all rural households by 2024. As of April 2025, ~80% of rural households connected (~17.8 crore connections).

Atal Bhujal Yojana (2019): Rs 6,000 crore scheme for participatory groundwater management in 7 water-stressed states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra, UP, Haryana, Karnataka (~78 lakh hectares).

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): "More crop per drop" — focuses on micro-irrigation, drip and sprinkler systems. 70 lakh ha covered as of 2023.

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