Karnataka Shows Groundwater Gains Under Jal Shakti Abhiyan

03 Dec 2025 CW Team

As per the 2025 categorisation: • Over-exploited (5 districts): Kolar, Bengaluru (Urban), Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru (Rural), Chitradurga • Critical (2 districts): Bengaluru South (Erstwhile Ramanagara), Tumakuru • Semi-critical (6 districts): Vijayanagara, Bagalkot, Gadag, Belagavi, Chamarajanagara, Davanagere

The Government of India is implementing the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a mission-mode national campaign designed to strengthen rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. First launched in 2019 across water-stressed blocks of 256 districts, JSA has been an annual nationwide initiative since 2021, spanning rural and urban areas. It focuses on artificial recharge structures, watershed management, reuse systems, afforestation and public awareness.

JSA 2025 is currently under way, with a special focus on 148 water-scarce districts nationwide, including 102 categorised as over-exploited and 22 as critical (based on the 2024 assessment). All five over-exploited and four critical districts of Karnataka have been included as priority districts under JSA 2025.

To further accelerate progress, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative has been launched by the Prime Minister as a community-driven movement to make rainwater harvesting a mass public effort. By encouraging community ownership, it seeks cost-effective, locally tailored solutions to region-specific water challenges.

Karnataka has reported substantial progress. Through coordinated efforts under JSA and Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, more than 1.7 million water conservation, harvesting and artificial recharge structures have been created. This has contributed to an overall improvement in Karnataka’s groundwater scenario.

According to CGWB data, the State’s Stage of Groundwater Extraction (SoE) — the ratio of total annual groundwater extraction to total annual extractable groundwater resources — improved from 68.44 per cent in 2024 to 66.49 per cent in 2025. Nearly all Over-exploited, Critical and Semi-critical districts showed improvement in SoE between 2024 and 2025, except Chikkaballapura and Tumakuru.

The information was provided by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The Central Ground Water Board’s 2024 Dynamic Groundwater Resources Assessment had earlier confirmed the State’s groundwater status. According to the latest 2025 assessment, Karnataka now has five districts classified as over-exploited, two as critical and six as semi-critical. As per the 2025 categorisation: • Over-exploited (5 districts): Kolar, Bengaluru (Urban), Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru (Rural), Chitradurga • Critical (2 districts): Bengaluru South (Erstwhile Ramanagara), Tumakuru • Semi-critical (6 districts): Vijayanagara, Bagalkot, Gadag, Belagavi, Chamarajanagara, Davanagere The Government of India is implementing the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a mission-mode national campaign designed to strengthen rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. First launched in 2019 across water-stressed blocks of 256 districts, JSA has been an annual nationwide initiative since 2021, spanning rural and urban areas. It focuses on artificial recharge structures, watershed management, reuse systems, afforestation and public awareness. JSA 2025 is currently under way, with a special focus on 148 water-scarce districts nationwide, including 102 categorised as over-exploited and 22 as critical (based on the 2024 assessment). All five over-exploited and four critical districts of Karnataka have been included as priority districts under JSA 2025. To further accelerate progress, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative has been launched by the Prime Minister as a community-driven movement to make rainwater harvesting a mass public effort. By encouraging community ownership, it seeks cost-effective, locally tailored solutions to region-specific water challenges. Karnataka has reported substantial progress. Through coordinated efforts under JSA and Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, more than 1.7 million water conservation, harvesting and artificial recharge structures have been created. This has contributed to an overall improvement in Karnataka’s groundwater scenario. According to CGWB data, the State’s Stage of Groundwater Extraction (SoE) — the ratio of total annual groundwater extraction to total annual extractable groundwater resources — improved from 68.44 per cent in 2024 to 66.49 per cent in 2025. Nearly all Over-exploited, Critical and Semi-critical districts showed improvement in SoE between 2024 and 2025, except Chikkaballapura and Tumakuru. The information was provided by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Infrastructure Transport

06 May 2026

Pune To Build Nine Km Link Road Between Highways

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to appoint an expert to plan the development of a nine km long, 60 metre wide road from Khadi Machine chowk to Wadki chowk as an extension to the Katraj-Kondhwa road to link the Mumbai-Satara and Pune-Solapur national highways. The scheme is intended to divert heavy vehicle traffic away from the city and improve access between the two arterial routes. The project has been prioritised by the PMC and forms part of a larger set of schemes in which 19 roads have been identified for development at a combined cost of Rs 9.82 billion (bn) to address c..

Infrastructure Transport

06 May 2026

Barabanki Bahraich Six Lane Highway Approved in Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has approved construction of a new six-lane highway linking Barabanki and Bahraich as part of National Highway 927, and the cabinet has cleared the project. The alignment will pass through Mustafabad and Kaiserganj and extend for about 101.5 km, creating a key corridor for local and long-distance movement. The National Highways Authority of India will oversee the work and has signalled the scheme is intended to strengthen regional connectivity and cross-border access to Nepal. The project carries an estimated total cost of Rs 69,690 million, equivalent to Rs 69.69..

Infrastructure Transport

06 May 2026

Toll At Kharegaon Likely As Highway Upgrade Nears Completion

A section of the highway at Kharegaon has undergone an upgrade and is approaching completion, and authorities have indicated plans for a toll to be introduced once works finish. The project has focused on strengthening the carriageway, improving drainage and upgrading intersections to enhance safety and capacity. Officials have said the toll will be used to recover construction costs and fund ongoing maintenance. The upgrade included resurfacing of the pavement, widening of certain stretches and installation of modern signage and lighting to reduce accident risk. Contractors completed most ma..