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Saturday, March 14, 2026
TopicGroundwater extraction

Topic: Groundwater extraction

India’s groundwater recharge went up in last 7 yrs, but 5 states extracting over 100% of their share

A report published by the Central Ground Water Board shows the differing rates of groundwater extraction and recharge across states in India. 

How Punjab farmers sacrificed high income for a big cause—they gave up Pusa-44 this year

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann thanked farmers for accepting the ban and staying away from the water-guzzling paddy variety Pusa-44. But convincing them about the larger public good is a work-in-progress.

Parliament panel report flags dip in groundwater levels in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad & 20 other cities

Increasing population, urbanisation and concretisation cited as reasons for depletion in cities. Delhi, Jaipur & Hyderabad among cities severely affected by water contamination.

14% of India’s groundwater assessment units over-exploited, 4% critical, says new govt report

According to latest Central Ground Water Board report, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan fall in 'over-exploited' range, while Delhi is in 'critical' range. Agriculture biggest consumer.

India faces a severe water crisis & Modi govt can’t tackle it alone. Here’s what we can do

From the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Union Budget to Jal Jeevan Mission, the Modi govt is trying. But it's missing out on these key solutions.

Modi govt wants farmers to pay for groundwater but puts onus on states to get them to do it

In draft guidelines to regulate groundwater, Modi govt has advised states to bring in suitable water pricing policy and review free or subsidised electricity to agriculture sector.

Despite big push, Modi govt still has no guidelines to check illegal groundwater extraction

Panel set up by NGT in August to suggest measures to rein in illegal groundwater extraction is yet to come up with its report. Deadline ends this month.

On Camera

Menstrual leave doesn’t work in ‘real world’. And that real world is designed by, for men

When a woman menstruates, when/if she decides to marry, when/if she decides to have kids, should not be factors when looking at a woman’s potential from a hiring standpoint.

US strike on Iran’s key oil export island Kharg raises fears of wider supply disruption

President Trump said the US had bombed military targets on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, but spared oil infrastructure.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba, the man Iran must keep alive & the secret force ‘tasked with it’—all about NOPO

The Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, or NOPO, was the only force Ali Khamenei trusted.It was founded in 1991 and is more feared than the Revolutionary Guards.

Peaceful power transfers followed uprisings in India’s neighbourhood. It’s a sign of mature democracies

Rating democracies is a tricky business. I am only using the simple metric of who in the Indian subcontinent has had the most peaceful, stable, normal political transitions and continuity.