Punjab’s latest groundwater assessment shows a severe crisis despite slight improvement.
The state recharges 19.14 BCM annually but extracted 26.32 BCM in 2025-26, 52% above sustainable levels, with exploitation at 152.22%.
Agriculture uses nearly all withdrawals, leaving 110 blocks over-exploited. Authorities push canal-based irrigation, crop diversification and efficiency to ease pressure.
While the groundwater crisis in Punjab has shown some signs of improvement, the state’s groundwater situation remains critical. According to the latest report, Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment, prepared by a 10-member committee in the state, the number of over-exploited groundwater blocks in Punjab has declined from 115 to 110 in the last two years. Despite this, about 72 per cent of the state’s 153 assessed blocks still fall in the critical category.
According to media reports, this latest assessment has been prepared by a 10-member panel headed by Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department, Krishna Kumar.
According to the latest assessment, Punjab recharges approximately 19.14 billion cubic metres (BCM) of groundwater each year. Of this, 17.29 BCM is considered available for annual withdrawal, but in 2025-26, 26.32 BCM of groundwater was extracted from the state. This means that Punjab is extracting approximately 52 per cent more than the annual groundwater available for withdrawal. Meanwhile, the total level of groundwater exploitation in the state stood at 152.22 per cent.
Agriculture plays a major role in this massive groundwater withdrawal. 24.95 BCM of groundwater was extracted for irrigation alone. This clearly indicates that Punjab’s groundwater crisis is primarily linked to agricultural irrigation systems. In this latest assessment, Punjab’s 153 groundwater assessment blocks have been divided into four categories. According to this report, 110 blocks in Punjab have been classified as over-exploited, 6 as critical, 17 as semi-critical, and 20 as safe.
Thus, only 20 blocks in the state are in the safe category, while 116 blocks are either over-exploited or critical. However, the assessment has also revealed a positive change. The pace of groundwater exploitation has slowed in 95 assessed blocks compared to earlier. Media reports, citing this latest assessment report, state that to address the groundwater crisis, Punjab is emphasising the need to increase canal-based irrigation. The new assessment considers recharge from canals and surface water as an important component of groundwater balance.
If canal water is available to farmers, dependence on tube wells for irrigation may decrease. This is why areas where canal water has improved access have shown signs of reduced groundwater exploitation. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has also emphasised expanding canal-based irrigation and delivering water to tail-end areas by 2026. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated in an April 2026 statement that increasing reliance on canal water was aimed at reducing pressure on tube wells.
Due to reduced groundwater exploitation, five blocks that were previously in the over-exploited category have now moved to the critical category. This change indicates that providing alternative sources of irrigation can alleviate groundwater pressure to some extent. However, a block’s transition from the over-exploited to the critical category does not indicate that the groundwater crisis has ended. Even the critical category indicates a serious situation.
The reduction in groundwater exploitation and the decline in the number of over-exploited blocks are certainly positive signs. However, the groundwater exploitation level of 152.22 per cent indicates that Punjab is still extracting far more water from the ground than its natural recharge. Experts believe that the biggest challenge is the dependence on groundwater for agricultural irrigation. Of the total 26.32 BCM of groundwater extraction in 2025-26, 24.95 BCM was used for irrigation. Therefore, simply expanding the canal network cannot be a permanent solution to the groundwater crisis.
To reduce pressure on groundwater, Punjab must work toward increasing canal access, crop diversification, promoting water-efficient crops, improving irrigation efficiency, and controlling groundwater withdrawals.