Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said on Monday that the state’s groundwater situation has turned around, citing the Central Ground Water Board’s 2026 assessment that shows an improvement in water levels for the first time in decades.
The report indicates that the stage of groundwater extraction fell from 164 percent in 2022 to 152.22 percent in 2026. Over‑exploited assessment units declined from 117 to 110, while safe units rose from 17 to 20. Annual groundwater extraction dropped from 28.02 billion cubic metres in 2022 to 26.32 billion cubic metres in the latest assessment, reflecting a broader reduction in the overall stage of groundwater development.
Of Punjab’s 153 groundwater assessment blocks, 109 have shown improvement. Fourteen blocks changed category compared with 2025, with four moving into the Safe category: Arniwala Sheikh Subanpur in Fazilka, Makhu in Ferozepur, Hajipur in Hoshiarpur and Narot Jaimal Singh in Pathankot, each recording notable declines in extraction percentages. Additional blocks such as Ferozepur and Mamdot shifted from Critical to Semi‑Critical, while Gurdaspur and Kahnuwan moved from Over‑Exploited to Critical, illustrating a broader trend of better classification across the state.
Goyal attributed the gains to a combination of increased groundwater recharge and reduced extraction. He highlighted the expanded use of canal water, rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure, laying of pipelines, and targeted water‑conservation measures as key drivers behind the positive shift in Punjab’s groundwater scenario.
