Table of Contents
Relevance: : GS Paper III – Environment | Agriculture | Water Resources | Disaster Management
GS Paper II – Governance | Resource Management
For Prelims:
Groundwater Resource Assessment (GWRA), Over-exploited Block, Semi-critical Block, Critical Block, Safe Category, Dynamic Groundwater Resources, Water-intensive Crops, Rabi Paddy, Borewell Irrigation, Aquifer Recharge, Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme
For Mains:
Groundwater Governance, Crop Diversification, Sustainable Agriculture, Water Security, Irrigation Management, Demand-side Water Management
Why in News?
- The Telangana Government has released the Groundwater Resource Assessment (GWRA) 2025 and initiated the assessment process for 2026.
- During the State-level committee meeting, the issue of groundwater depletion and paddy cultivation during the Rabi season became a major policy discussion.
- While the official report strongly advised discouraging paddy cultivation during Rabi due to groundwater stress and dependence on borewells, the Secretary of Irrigation and Command Area Development stated that banning paddy is not the solution and emphasized the need to focus on groundwater recharge and better water management.
Groundwater Resource Assessment (GWRA): Institutional Framework
- The Groundwater Resource Assessment is conducted by the Telangana Ground Water Department with the support of various departments and technical institutions that form the State-level Groundwater Resource Assessment Committee.
- The committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Irrigation and Command Area Development Department and consists of 18 members.
- Its main purpose is to scientifically assess groundwater availability, extraction levels, recharge potential, and stress categories across mandals of the State.
- The exercise helps in identifying areas where groundwater extraction has crossed sustainable limits and where policy intervention is required.
- The assessment for 2026 has already been initiated, and data collection will begin in May 2026. The next review meeting is expected in August 2026.
Groundwater Use Pattern in Telangana
- Agriculture is the largest consumer, with most groundwater used for irrigation.
- Rapid increase in extraction in recent years due to expansion of irrigated area.
- Heavy dependence on borewells; sharp rise in number of wells since 2014.
- Groundwater accounts for a major share of irrigation compared to surface sources in many regions.
- Regional variation: higher dependence in hard rock areas of the Deccan Plateau with limited surface water.
- Cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy and maize increases groundwater demand.
- Overall utilisation around 40–45%, but localized over-exploitation exists.
- Continuous extraction has led to declining water table in several districts
Mandal-wise Groundwater Classification
- Telangana has a total of 620 mandals, and these are classified based on the stage of groundwater extraction.
- The categories include Safe, Semi-critical, Critical, and Over-exploited.
As per the 2025 assessment:
Category | Position |
Safe Category | 76% of mandals |
Policy Intervention Required | 24% of mandals |
Total Mandals Requiring Attention | About 148 mandals |
- The number of over-exploited mandals has reduced from 31 to 23.
- However, 25 more mandals have entered the semi-critical category.
- Five additional mandals have entered the critical category.
- This shows that while extreme over-exploitation reduced, groundwater stress is spreading into new areas
Increase in Borewell Dependence
- The report records a 16 percent increase in groundwater extraction wells between 2024 and 2025.
- This means farmers are increasingly depending on borewells for irrigation, particularly during dry spells and Rabi cultivation.
- Borewell dependence creates long-term groundwater stress because extraction often exceeds natural recharge capacity.
- In semi-arid regions of Telangana, this becomes a major governance issue.
Rabi Paddy and Groundwater Stress
- Telangana has emerged as one of the largest rice-producing states after state formation, with a sharp increase in paddy area.
- Expansion linked to large irrigation projects (e.g., Kaleshwaram) but groundwater use remains high in non-command areas.
- MSP-based procurement system encourages farmers to prefer paddy over less water-intensive crops.
- Paddy cultivation shows low crop diversification, increasing long-term pressure on water resources.
- Cropping intensity has increased (kharif + rabi paddy), leading to year-round groundwater extraction.
- Paddy fields cause high evapotranspiration losses, further increasing irrigation demand.
- In hard rock regions, limited aquifer recharge capacity makes groundwater depletion faster under paddy cultivation.
- Shift from traditional crops (millets, pulses) to paddy has altered agro-ecological balance.
- Paddy cultivation contributes to methane emissions, linking groundwater-irrigated agriculture with climate change.
- Government has promoted alternatives like oilseeds, pulses, and millets, but adoption remains limited.
Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme and Groundwater Relief
- The Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme was referred to as an important example of reducing groundwater dependency.
- It is part of the larger Krishna basin irrigation development in Telangana and provides irrigation support to drought-prone areas, especially in Nagarkurnool and surrounding regions.
- By bringing surface irrigation water to dry regions, the project reduces exclusive dependence on deep borewells.
- This improves agricultural stability and helps in groundwater recharge indirectly.
Groundwater Categories in India
Groundwater assessment in India follows a standard classification system:
Category | Stage of Extraction |
Safe | Less than 70% |
Semi-critical | 70–90% |
Critical | 90–100% |
Over-exploited | More than 100% |
CARE MCQ
Q. Consider the following statements regarding groundwater management in Telangana:
- Agriculture accounts for the largest share of groundwater extraction in the State.
- An over-exploited groundwater block means extraction is greater than annual recharge.
- Rabi paddy cultivation through borewells reduces groundwater stress.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct because nearly 90 percent of groundwater extraction is used for agriculture.
Statement 2 is correct because over-exploited means groundwater withdrawal exceeds annual recharge.
Statement 3 is incorrect because paddy is a water-intensive crop and Rabi cultivation through borewells increases groundwater stress.
Therefore, the correct answer is (a).
Q.Consider the following statements regarding paddy cultivation and groundwater in Telangana:
- Rabi paddy cultivation is largely dependent on groundwater sources.
- Black cotton soils eliminate the need for repeated irrigation in paddy cultivation.
- Free electricity for agriculture can indirectly lead to groundwater depletion.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: Rabi paddy relies mainly on groundwater.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Even in black cotton soils, paddy needs repeated irrigation due to standing water requirement.
- Statement 3 is correct: Free electricity encourages excessive groundwater pumping.
Q. Consider the following statements regarding groundwater assessment and usage:
- GWRA classifies regions based on the ratio of groundwater extraction to annual recharge.
- An over-exploited mandal is one where extraction exceeds recharge.
- Over-exploited status automatically improves with the expansion of borewell irrigation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: GWRA (Groundwater Resource Assessment) is based on a scientific criterion called the stage of groundwater extraction, which is calculated as (Annual Extraction ÷ Annual Recharge) × 100. This ratio is used to classify areas into safe, semi-critical, critical, and over-exploited categories.
- Statement 2 is correct: A mandal is categorized as over-exploited when groundwater extraction exceeds 100% of annual recharge, meaning more water is being withdrawn than is naturally replenished.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: Expansion of borewell irrigation increases groundwater withdrawal and worsens depletion, thereby aggravating the over-exploited status rather than improving it.
Q. Consider the following statements regarding irrigation and groundwater in Telangana:
- Lift irrigation projects aim to reduce groundwater dependence by supplying surface water.
- Introduction of surface irrigation has no impact on groundwater extraction in nearby areas.
- Mandals receiving assured canal water are less likely to fall under over-exploited category.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: Lift irrigation projects transfer surface water (from rivers/reservoirs) to upland or drought-prone areas, reducing farmers’ dependence on borewells.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Availability of surface irrigation generally reduces groundwater extraction, as farmers shift from borewell irrigation to canal or project water. However, in some cases, conjunctive use may occur, but the overall trend reduces pressure.
- Statement 3 is correct: Areas with assured canal irrigation typically face lower groundwater stress, making them less likely to be categorized as over-exploited compared to purely rainfed or borewell-dependent regions.
FAQs
Q. What is GWRA?
Ans. GWRA (Groundwater Resource Assessment) evaluates groundwater availability, recharge, and extraction levels.
Q. Why is paddy linked with groundwater depletion?
Ans. Paddy requires large quantities of water, and rabi cultivation often depends mainly on borewells.
Q.What is an over-exploited mandal?
Ans. A mandal where groundwater extraction exceeds annual groundwater recharge.
Q.Why is Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme important?
Ans. It reduces dependence on borewell irrigation by supplying surface water to drought-prone regions.
Q. What is the main policy focus now?
Ans. Focus is shifting toward improving groundwater recharge, scientific monitoring, and local water budgeting instead of banning crops.
