Chandigarh, August 31, 2026: Punjab’s long-running groundwater crisis is showing early signs of improvement, with the state’s groundwater extraction rate declining over the past four years, according to the latest assessment cited by state authorities.
The stage of groundwater extraction has fallen from 163.80% in 2021-22 to 152.22% in 2025-26, marking an improvement of 11.58 percentage points. Annual groundwater extraction has also declined from around 28.01 billion cubic metres (BCM) to 26.32 BCM.
Groundwater Extraction Declines
The latest figures indicate that Punjab is beginning to reduce its dependence on groundwater, although extraction remains significantly higher than the state’s sustainable annual extractable resources.
The state’s annual groundwater recharge is estimated at 19.14 BCM, while the annual extractable resource is around 17.29 BCM. Against this, Punjab extracted 26.32 BCM of groundwater during 2025-26. Irrigation accounted for the overwhelming majority, at approximately 24.95 BCM.
This means the state continues to extract substantially more groundwater than can be sustainably replenished, despite the recent improvement.
Over-Exploited Blocks Decline
Another encouraging indicator is the reduction in the number of groundwater blocks classified as over-exploited.
According to the latest assessment, the number of over-exploited units has fallen from 117 to 110, while safe units have increased from 17 to 20.
Authorities have also reported improvement across a large number of groundwater blocks. As many as 95 of Punjab’s 153 groundwater blocks have reportedly shown improvement, while the number of critical blocks has fallen from 10 to six. Four blocks have reportedly moved into the safe category.
Greater Use of Canal Water
Officials have linked the improvement partly to increased availability and utilisation of canal water for irrigation.
According to the state government, canal-water utilisation has increased substantially since 2022, with water reaching areas that previously depended more heavily on groundwater. The government has also reported the activation of thousands of watercourses, restoration of more than 400 km of canals and work on over 1,000 km of canal networks.
The expansion of canal irrigation is significant because agriculture is the largest consumer of groundwater in Punjab.
A Crisis That Is Not Over Yet
Despite the positive indicators, experts and official data continue to point to a serious groundwater challenge.
A 2025 assessment presented in Parliament showed that Punjab’s groundwater extraction stood at 156.36% of its annual extractable groundwater resources, with 111 of 153 blocks classified as over-exploited.
The latest figures therefore represent progress, but not yet a reversal of the overall groundwater deficit.
Punjab’s dependence on groundwater has been closely associated with its agricultural system, particularly water-intensive paddy cultivation. Experts have repeatedly called for greater crop diversification, efficient irrigation and stronger groundwater-management measures.
Why the Improvement Matters
Punjab’s groundwater reserves are critical to both agriculture and rural livelihoods. Any sustained reduction in extraction could help slow the decline of water tables and provide greater time for aquifers to recover.
The recent figures also suggest that expanding canal irrigation and improving water-management infrastructure can make a measurable difference.
However, maintaining the trend will require continued efforts to reduce groundwater-dependent irrigation, improve recharge and encourage farmers to shift towards less water-intensive crops.
The Road Ahead
Punjab’s groundwater situation remains far from safe, but the latest assessment provides a rare positive signal after decades of depletion.
The decline in extraction from 163.80% to 152.22% over four years, alongside fewer over-exploited blocks and greater use of canal water, indicates that conservation measures may be beginning to have an impact.
The key challenge now will be to ensure that this improvement becomes a long-term trend rather than a temporary slowdown, allowing Punjab’s severely stressed aquifers to gradually move towards a sustainable balance.
