Groundwater Legal Regime in India: Policy Analysis and Challenges

Groundwater is one of the main sources of water for majority of the India. Groundwater accounts for 60% of irrigational water and 80% of drinking water consumption of India. However, the situation of groundwater in India is far from ideal. With no centralised legislation for the conservation and sustainable use of groundwater on the one hand and on the other hand, government power subsidies for agriculture purposes have led to the over-extraction of groundwater way more than the natural recharge cycle could replenish. Over-exploitation of groundwater pollution is also one of the key issues that surround the groundwater crisis in India. This paper aims to answer a few of the key questions surrounding the groundwater regime in India by analysing the current legal regime of the country its evolution and history, the institutional framework in place, the link between groundwater extraction and ownership of land, and the various initiatives by various stakeholders.