ground water in punjab

The hallmark of great

leadership is the ability

to recognize a problem

before it becomes an

emergency.

Edmund Burke

GROUND WATER IN PUNJAB

Presentation by

Arunjit Singh Miglani, IAS, Mission Director DGWM

Within India, Punjab has the Highest Ground Water Overexploitation

Groundwater extraction far exceeds the replenishment Average yearly GW withdrawal (2008-2013): 28.2 MAF Average yearly Replenishment of GW 18.9 MAF Area Irrigated: GW – 73 % SW – 27 %

Source: Dynamic Ground Water

Resources of India 2013

Gro

und

Wa

ter

Develo

pm

ent (%

) 20

13

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

All India Punjab Haryana Rajasthan Andhra Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Tamil Nadu

62%

149%

135% 140%

44%

74% 77%

Latest Dynamic Ground Water Assessment (as on 31-03-2017)

NET GROUND WATER AVAILABILITY : 21. 58 BCM EXISTING GW DRAFT FOR IRRIGATION : 34. 56 BCM EXISTING GW DRAFT FOR DOMESTIC & INDUSTRIAL USE : 1.22 BCM EXISTING GW DRAFT FOR ALL USES : 35. 78 BCM ANNUAL SHORT-FALL : (-) 14.20 BCM HENCE, 300 BCM WATER RESERVES AVAILABLE UPTO 300 M DEPTH WILL COMPLETELY EXHAUST IN 20 YEARS.

How different districts are over-exploiting Ground water (Stage of GW Development in Percentage)

as on 31-03-2017

Now, out of 138 blocks 109 are categorised as over-exploited. Stage of Ground Water Development is 166 %

Major Reasons For Depletion Of Ground Water • Punjab is the biggest contributor of food grains to the national pool. This has

been possible due to intensive irrigation through an extensive tube-well

network.

• Paddy sown in 75% of the cropped area.…. Most water guzzling crop.

• Due to free, unmetered electricity for agriculture there is huge consumption

of ground water.

• Decrease in annual rainfall by about 15% in the last decade along with

increase in temperatures.

• Decrease in availability of surface water from Rivers has put more pressure

on ground water.

INITIATIVES FOR WATER CONSERVATION

• State has set-up a dedicated Directorate of Ground Water Management,

headed by Mission Director, with the prime objective of conserving and

managing water resources.

• Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2019 was

drafted and presented in the Cabinet for approval. A Cabinet Sub-

Committee has been formed to examine the Bill.

• Punjab Government has signed a Consulting Agreement on 14.03.2019

with M/s Mekorot, National Water Company of Israel, for preparation of

Water Conservation and Management Master Plan for the State of

Punjab.

• Long pending dispute with Jammu and Kashmir has been resolved and the work

on construction of Shahpur Kandi Dam has started and will now be completed in

three years. This will help in optimum use of Ravi waters.

•Punjab will continue its efforts in implementing the programs and schemes

which aims at rejuvenation of our canal systems and cleaning of minors and

distributaries for ensuring that the water reaches at the tail end. In this endeavor,

priority will be given to the water logged areas of the State.

• Out of total area under paddy, 83 % of the area has been brought under paddy

cultivars which require lesser irrigations as compared to long duration varieties

without compromising the yield, resulting in saving of nearly 10% -15% in

irrigation water.


‘THE PUNJAB PRESERVATION OF SUB-SOIL WATER ACT, 2009’ has

been enacted which provides for:

• No sowing of nursery before 1st May.

• Nursery not to be transplanted before notified date i.e 20th June.

• In case of violation, nursery or transplanted paddy to be destroyed at the

expenses of the farmer.

• As a result of this enactment there is a noticeable decrease in the rate of

decline of ground water level.



•Target to shift area from Paddy to cotton by about 1,00,000 hectare. Timely supply

of canal water is being ensured in the cotton belt of the State. This will also result in

conservation of water as water demand of cotton is 1/4th of paddy.

•Under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), a project has been

formulated under which an area of about 1000 hectare was brought under maize by

replacing paddy during Kharif 2018. There is a target of bringing 5000 hectare area

under maize by replacing paddy.

•State is reusing waste water for irrigation. About 155 MLD of treated water from

33 STP’s being utilized for irrigating 7200 ha of agricultural land. Project for

adding another 600 MLD for 24000 hectares of land is under approval.

PILOT SCHEME TO INCENTIVISE FARMERS TO USE LESS WATER AND SAVE ELECTRICITY

• A pilot scheme called ‘Paani Bachao Paisa Kamao’ has been initiated in June,

2018 by Department of Power in collaboration with World Bank and J. Pal.

• 940 total consumers on six AP feeders in three districts are the target group.

• Consumers are being motivated to install automatic recording electricity

meters.

• The design involves fixing of electricity entitlement of each farmer on the

basis of units consumed at the AP feeder based on the previous trends and the

pump capacity/percentage of the land holding of farmer to the area being fed

by the AP feeder.

• The saving made by the farmer against the entitlement will be directly

transferred to their accounts. Amount disbursed till date is 8.46 lacs.

STEPS FOR CONSERVATION OF WATER

• State is promoting underground pipeline system (UGPS) to replace open

channel irrigation systems. Financial assistance ranging from 50%-90% is

being provided for farmers opting for UGPS.

• An area of 4 lakh hectares has been covered till date.

• To promote on-farm irrigation through micro irrigation systems, subsidy is

being provided by state for Micro Irrigation. So far 34,500 hectares have

been covered.

• Approx 660 medium to small water harvesting structures have been

constructed till date and a comprehensive plan for construction of approx

990 rain water harvesting structures in Kandi area has been devised under

RKVY, PMKSY and MG-NREGS during next 5 years.

ISSUES WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GoI

• National level water saving campaigns should be launched.

• Government of Punjab launched “Crop Diversification Program” in the year 2013-14.

A crop diversification plan amounting to Rs. 822.44 Crore (GoI share) was submitted.

Till date only 373.23 Crore has been released. The balance amount if released soon

would help in conserving precious water resources of the State.

• 12 projects for construction of field channels of various canal command systems

covering 12.49 lac hectares have been prposed in ISBIG introduced by GoI amounting

to Rs. 8404.9 Crore (3346 Crore State Share). Under this scheme 30% i.e 3.47 lac

hectare area has been proposed to be covered under Micro-Irrigation. The scheme is

yet to be approved by GoI.

• Assured procurement at realistic MSP for less water consuming crops.

Can we stop the blind march to desertification in time???

THANK YOU

Trend of Ground Water Table Depletion

Source: Water Resources Department, Punjab

Now out of 138 blocks 109 are categorised as over-exploited.

District wise AVERAGE depth of GW based on observation wells

32.41

28.87

23.6

18.93 18.66 17.59

16.28

13.62

8.55

7.77 5.58

3.29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

WA

TER

LEV

EL

DEPTH

(I

N M

ETR

ES)

DISTRICTWISE AVGERAGE WATER LEVEL DEPTH JUNE 2017

EFFECT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PUNJAB PRESERVATION OF SUB SOIL WATER ACT

AVERAGE ANALYSIS TREND OF GROUND WATER LEVEL DATA, BEFORE &

AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PUNJAB PRESERVATION OF SUB SOIL WATER

ACT, 2009.

Period Annual Average Rate of Decline in GW Level (in metres)

Before 2008 0.75

2008-13 0.45

2013-2016 0.55*

* Deficit and erratic rainfall after 2013.

SOLAR POWERED COMMUNITY LIFT-MICRO IRRIGATION PROJECT (SCMIP), TALWARA, HOSHIARPUR

Community based Integrated Solar Lift-Micro Irrigation commissioned 7.8.2017

664 ha command area comprising 1200 households of 14 villages.

3798 solar panels generating 1.1 MW, powering 46 solar pumps of 15-23 HP capacity.

68 kms of underground pipeline based water conveyance system laid.

100% command area under fully automated drip and sprinkler irrigation.

Farmer training facilities set-up as part of project. .

Project operated and maintained by 18 Water User Associations(WUA’s) under technical

guidance of department

SCMIP GLIMPSES

Kandi Canal Lift Point Booster Station-cum-Training Centre

Sprinkler Irrigation System Drip Irrigation System

Increasing number & depth Of Tube-wells

Increase in Number of

Tubewells

2 lac in 1970-71

6 lac in 1980-81

12.50 lac in 2015-16.

Source: Water Resources Department, Punjab and statistical abstract of Punjab 2016.


•Current Status:

• Total Consumers : 940

• Enrolled : 263

• Meter Installed : 190

• Amount Disbursed till date : 8.46 lacs (3.85 lac pending)

• Units saved : 3.08 lac (20.06.18 to 20.02.19)


DBTE Period Total Enrolled Farmers who receive

subsidy

Subsidy Amount

20-06-18 to 20-08-18 110 67 106922

21-08-18 to 20-10-18 119 104 598067

21-10-18 to 20-12-18 119 118 141606

21-12-18 to 20-02-19 189 177 385523

Division Feeder Total AP

Consumers

Enrolled

consumers as

of 20.09.18

Meters

installed as of

20.09.18

Meters synced with MDAS as of 20.09.18 Overall consumer response

CENTRAL ZONE**

Sirhind

Sunderpura 125 20 18 14

Consumers are happy after the first

payment has gone out; the general

understanding is that several consumers are

willing to get enroled.

Haripur 78 3 3 0

Neutral response from individuals;

Sarpanch misleading consumers; first

round of payment could boost enrolments

Kharora 170 18* 13 0

Consumers who have received the payment

are satisfied; a positive response is

expected in the coming weeks. PSPCL has

acquired more meters for newly enroled

consumers. However, damaged meters are

yet to be replaced

NORTH ZONE***

Cantt. Jalandhar Bambiwal.1 178 13 13 9

World Bank Team to provide an update City Nakodar Nawajipur 231 13 13 12

Mukerian Dhanoya 158 55 50 45

Total 940 122 110 80

DIRECT BENEFIT TRANSFERS FOR ELECTRICITY

Year Actual Rainfall (in mm)

Normal Rainfall Deviation (%)

2008 603.70 501.80 20.30

2009 323.60 501.80 -36

2010 459.30 496.00 -8

2011 459.30 496.00 -8

2012 262.20 491.60 -47

2013 480.00 492.00 -2

2014 243.90 491.50 -50

2015 358.00 491.50 -34

Avg. Annual rainfall in Punjab (mm)

ground water in punjab

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