QUESTION 13
GS3
15 marks
Examine the factors responsible for depleting groundwater in India. What are the steps taken by the government to mitigate such depletion of groundwater?
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Examine why India's groundwater is depleting and what the government is doing about it.
ExamineGo into the details, test each point against evidence, and conclude on what it shows.
Demand-wise check
- 1Factors: over-extraction for irrigation (paddy, sugarcane), free or cheap power, falling recharge (urban paving, deforestation), erratic rainfall, industrial use, weak regulation (groundwater tied to land ownership)≈95 words
- 2Steps: Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain, CGWA permits, aquifer mapping (NAQUIM), Amrit Sarovar, Per Drop More Crop, state laws (Punjab's delayed paddy transplanting)≈95 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Scale with dataCausesGovernment stepsGapsConclusion
Where marks usually go
- No data on over-exploited blocks
- Not linking causes to crop and power policy
Draw this
- Map of over-exploited blocks
Value addition
- DataIndia is the world's largest user of groundwater, extracting about 245 billion cubic metres a year.Central Ground Water Board, Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment
- LawPunjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009 bans paddy transplanting before a notified date to save groundwater.Government of Punjab
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.