Chandigarh: Punjab has recorded a significant improvement in its groundwater situation, with the latest 2026 assessment of the Central Ground Groundwater Board (CGWB) showing the first overall rise in groundwater levels in decades.
Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the improvement reflects the impact of measures aimed at increasing the use of canal water and reducing the state’s dependence on groundwater for agriculture.
The assessment shows that Punjab’s stage of groundwater extraction has declined from 163.80% in 2021–22 to 152.22% in 2025–26, an improvement of 11.58 percentage points over four years.
Groundwater Extraction Declines
The reduction in the extraction rate has been accompanied by a fall in the total volume of groundwater being extracted annually.
According to the assessment, annual groundwater extraction has declined from around 28.01 billion cubic metres (bcm) to 26.32 bcm.
Agriculture continues to account for the overwhelming share of groundwater use. Of the total extraction, approximately 24.95 bcm is used for agricultural purposes, while around 1.38 bcm goes towards domestic and industrial requirements.
The figures indicate that reducing agricultural dependence on tubewells remains central to Punjab’s groundwater recovery.
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Over-Exploited Blocks Fall From 117 to 110
The improvement is also visible at the block level.
Punjab has 153 assessment blocks, of which 95 have recorded an overall improvement in their groundwater status.
The latest assessment shows:
- Over-exploited or dark-zone blocks declined from 117 to 110.
- Critical blocks fell from 10 to 6.
- Safe blocks increased from 17 to 20.
Among the blocks now classified as safe are Arniwala in Fazilka, Makhu in Ferozepur, Hajipur in Hoshiarpur and Narot Jaimal Singh in Pathankot.
The shift is significant for a state that has faced persistent pressure on groundwater resources because of intensive agricultural extraction.
Canal Water Gains Importance
The assessment also highlights improvement in groundwater recharge.
Punjab’s total annual groundwater recharge has been estimated at 19.14 bcm. Rainfall contributed around 5.53 bcm, while canal water contributed approximately 5.50 bcm.
Canal-water contribution has increased from about 4.5 bcm in the previous year, pointing to the growing role of surface-water systems in supporting groundwater resources.
The state government has been focusing on better utilisation of its canal network, including activating watercourses and restoring canals that had become defunct.
Government Push to Reduce Tubewell Dependence
Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal attributed the improvement to the focused efforts of the Bhagwant Mann-led government to maximise canal-water utilisation.
The strategy includes making more canal water available to farmers, activating existing watercourses and restoring defunct canals. The broader objective is to reduce the need for farmers to depend heavily on tubewells.
For Punjab, this is particularly important because groundwater extraction has historically been closely linked to agricultural practices.
A sustained shift towards surface water could help reduce pressure on underground aquifers while also improving the long-term availability of water for farming and other needs.
What the Improvement Means for Punjab
The latest groundwater assessment does not mean that Punjab’s groundwater crisis has been resolved. The extraction level of 152.22% remains substantially above sustainable limits in many parts of the state.
However, the change in key indicators suggests that the long-term decline can potentially be reversed through sustained water-management measures.
The reduction in over-exploited and critical blocks, along with an increase in safe blocks, provides a more positive picture than previous assessments. The fact that 95 of the 153 assessment blocks recorded improvement further indicates that the change is not limited to a few isolated areas.
For farmers and rural communities, healthier groundwater resources could provide greater water security over the long term. For the government, the figures also reinforce the importance of expanding canal-based irrigation and improving water-use efficiency.
A Shift Towards Sustainable Water Management
Punjab’s latest groundwater figures offer an important indication that sustained policy intervention can begin to change a difficult water situation.
The challenge now is to maintain this improvement and expand it to more blocks across the state. Continued canal restoration, better water distribution and reduced dependence on groundwater will remain crucial to protecting Punjab’s aquifers.
The 2026 assessment therefore marks an encouraging development, but also underlines the need for consistent water-management efforts to make groundwater recovery a long-term trend.
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