https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

India’s First Census of Water Bodies Show ‘Sujalam’ Bengal, UP

Water is a recyclable resource but its availability is limited and the gap between the supply and demand is widening over time. Therefore, concerted efforts are needed to conserve and preserve water bodies.
Indian Masterminds Stories

India finally has its first-ever census on water bodies. The Jal Shakti Ministry released the report enumerating over 24 Lakh water bodies in the country. The top five states which fulfill “sujalam” part of the national song are West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.

The census provides a comprehensive inventory of India’s water resources, including natural and man-made water bodies like ponds, tanks, lakes, and more. It has also collected data on the encroachment of water bodies. The Census also highlighted disparities between rural and urban areas and varying levels of encroachment and revealed crucial insights into the country’s water resources.

The census was launched under the centrally sponsored scheme, Irrigation Census in convergence with the 6th Minor Irrigation Census in order to have a comprehensive national database of all water bodies. The information on all important aspects of the water bodies including their type, condition, status of encroachments, use, storage capacity, status of filling up of storage, etc was collected. It covered all the water bodies both in-use and not.

Of the total 2,424,540 water bodies, 97.1 percent are in rural areas and only 2.9 percent are in urban areas.

The census also took into account all types of uses of water bodies like irrigation, industry, pisciculture, domestic/ drinking, recreation, religious, groundwater recharge etc. Census has been successfully completed and the All India and State-wise reports have been published.

The key features/findings of the Census are as follows:

  • 24,24,540 water bodies have been enumerated in the country, out of which 97.1% (23,55,055) are in rural areas and only 2.9% (69,485) are in urban areas.
  • Top 05 States in terms of number of water bodies are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam which constitute around 63% of the total water bodies in the country.
  • Top 05 States in terms of number of water bodies in urban areas are West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura, whereas in rural areas, top 5 States are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.
  • 59.5% of water bodies are ponds, followed by tanks (15.7%), reservoirs (12.1%), Water conservation schemes/percolation tanks/check dams (9.3%), lakes (0.9%) and others (2.5%).
  • 55.2% of water bodies are owned by private entities whereas 44.8% of water bodies are in the domain of public ownership.
  • Out of all public owned water bodies, maximum water bodies are owned by Panchayats, followed by State Irrigation/State WRD.
  • Out of all private owned water bodies, maximum water bodies are in hands of Individual owner/farmer followed by group of individuals and other private bodies.
  • Top 05 States which lead in the private owned water bodies are West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
  • Out of all ‘in use’ water bodies, major water bodies are reported to be used in pisciculture followed by Irrigation.
  • Top 05 States wherein major use of water bodies is in pisciculture are West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh;
  • Top 05 States wherein major use of water bodies is in irrigation are Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Gujarat.
  • 78% water bodies are man-made water bodies whereas 22% are natural water bodies. 1.6% (38,496) water bodies out of all the enumerated water bodies are reported to be encroached out of which 95.4% are in rural areas and remaining 4.6% in urban areas.
  • The information on water spread area was reported in respect of 23,37,638 water bodies. Out of these water bodies, 72.4% have water spread area less than 0.5 hectare, 13.4% have water spread area between 0.5-1 hectare, 11.1% have water spread area between 1-5 hectares and remaining 3.1% of water bodies have water spread area more than 5 hectares.

The final results and completion of this report has been made possible by the strenuous efforts of all the officers and staff of Minor Irrigation (Stat) Wing of the Ministry of Jal Shakti under the supervision and support of Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Pankaj Kumar, as well as dedicated technical support provided by National Informatics Centre and determined efforts made by the State/UT Governments.

The Census report is available on Department’s website: https://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in. Key results are also disseminated through Bhuvan portal.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Rajasthan Government
Top Bureaucrats Shifted to Energy Sector as Govt Focuses on Implementing ₹28 Lakh Crore MoUs from Rising Rajasthan
S-400
India-Russia Seal Full S-400 Delivery by 2027, Finalize Su-30MKI Upgrades & Back Project Kusha - Know More About Deal
Qingdao Meet
Rajnath Singh and Admiral Dong Jun Meet on SCO Sidelines to Push for Permanent Border Peace
Tiger death in Karnataka
Shocking: 5 Tigers Found Dead in Karnataka’s MM Hills Sanctuary, Suspected Poisoning Sparks Outrage - Details Inside
NPCIL
Clean Energy Push: NPCIL Extends Bid Deadline to September 30 for Bharat Small Reactor (BSR) Co-Development
All India Officers IAS IPS IFS UPSC
IFS Ambarish Vemuri Appointed Deputy Secretary in PMO; IAS Ashish Srivastava’s Role Upgraded in SSC
Devinder Singh
Retired IRS Devinder Singh Kalyan Appointed Haryana’s State Election Commissioner Amid Controversy
Uttarakhand Lok Sewa Ayog UKPSC-lok-sewa-aayog
UKPSC PCS Prelims 2025 to Be Held on June 29: Advisory Issued Amid Monsoon & Traffic Concerns - Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Rajasthan Government
Top Bureaucrats Shifted to Energy Sector as Govt Focuses on Implementing ₹28 Lakh Crore MoUs from Rising Rajasthan
S-400
India-Russia Seal Full S-400 Delivery by 2027, Finalize Su-30MKI Upgrades & Back Project Kusha - Know More About Deal
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT