12 development blocks improve their groundwater status as recharge touches record 14.65 BCM; state targets safe groundwater status for all blocks by 2030
TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 9, 2026: Chhattisgarh has achieved its biggest single-cycle improvement in groundwater status, bringing the number of development blocks classified as ‘critical’ down to zero in 2026. The landmark improvement comes as annual groundwater recharge in the state has reached a record 14.65 billion cubic metres (BCM), while total groundwater extraction has declined for the first time in the available assessment record.
The number of critical blocks has fallen sharply from nine in 2020 to five in 2025 and now zero in 2026. At the same time, 12 development blocks have improved their groundwater status, taking the number of blocks in the safe category to 127.
The findings are part of the Groundwater Resources Assessment-2026, jointly prepared by the Central Ground Water Board and the State Groundwater Survey Board and approved by the State-Level Groundwater Assessment and Management Committee.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the achievement as the result of collective efforts by farmers, citizens, government departments and field-level personnel. He said Chhattisgarh has translated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call of ‘Jan Shakti se Jal Shakti’ into action through public participation and sustained water-conservation measures.
Record recharge, first decline in extraction
The state’s annual groundwater recharge has risen to 14.65 BCM, compared with 11.57 BCM in 2017. Recharge from ponds and small water bodies has increased by 266.9 per cent compared with 2020, while recharge through other water-conservation structures has risen by 202.8 per cent.
The 2026 assessment has recorded 2,28,736 water-conservation structures across Chhattisgarh. Government initiatives such as Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari and Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain have contributed significantly to strengthening groundwater recharge.
At the same time, groundwater extraction has declined from 6.30 BCM in the previous assessment cycle to 6.21 BCM in 2026. This is the first decline in annual groundwater extraction recorded in the available assessment data.
The stage of groundwater extraction, which stood at 49.5 per cent in 2022, has now declined to 46.37 per cent, comfortably below the 70 per cent threshold for the safe category.
Bemetara, Rajnandgaon show impact of crop diversification
Changes in agricultural practices, particularly a reduction in summer paddy cultivation, have played an important role in improving groundwater conditions in Bemetara and Rajnandgaon.
In Bemetara, summer paddy cultivation has declined from around 26,000 hectares to 5,000 hectares. In Rajnandgaon, the area has fallen from approximately 9,400 hectares to about 2,800 hectares. Together, the two districts have reduced summer paddy cultivation by around 27,600 hectares.
Bemetara has moved out of the critical category after four consecutive assessment cycles and has recorded nearly a 20 per cent reduction in total groundwater extraction compared with 2023.
Rajnandgaon has also registered substantial improvement. Its groundwater extraction level had reached 70.5 per cent in 2022, but the Rajnandgaon development block has now entered the safe category. Irrigation-related groundwater extraction has declined by 16.4 per cent compared with 2023.
Chief Minister Sai said farmers who changed their cropping patterns had made a major contribution to water conservation and the long-term water security of the state.
‘Results achieved in fields and villages’
Chief Minister Sai said the achievement was not created in government offices but was earned through sustained efforts in villages and agricultural fields.
He appreciated farmers in Bemetara, Rajnandgaon and other parts of the state for adopting water-conscious farming practices, as well as field teams that worked closely with local communities.
According to the Chief Minister, the latest assessment demonstrates that public participation, supportive government policies and scientific water management can together deliver measurable improvements in groundwater conditions.
19 semi-critical blocks remain focus
Despite the achievement, the state government has identified 19 development blocks across 11 districts that remain in the semi-critical category.
The government has set an ambitious target of ensuring that no development block in Chhattisgarh remains groundwater-stressed by 2030.
The next phase will focus on targeted groundwater recharge, water conservation, crop diversification and community participation in these semi-critical areas.
Under NAQUIM 2.0, aquifer-mapping studies are proposed during 2026-27 across approximately 5,442 square kilometres in Bemetara, Bilaspur and Janjgir-Champa districts. The studies are expected to provide scientific data on groundwater availability, aquifer conditions and location-specific management requirements.
Block-level Catch the Rain plan next
The state is also preparing its annual Catch the Rain Plan 2026-27 with monthly targets at the development-block level. The initiative will enable groundwater recharge and conservation measures to be designed according to local conditions.
The development follows the National Water Summit held on September 1 and 2, where Chief Minister Sai presented Chhattisgarh’s water-conservation initiatives and achievements to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With the number of critical blocks now reduced to zero, the state government has shifted its focus towards achieving the next milestone: bringing all 19 semi-critical blocks into the safe category and securing safe groundwater status for every development block by 2030.
