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Which of the following States faces the most serious issue of groundwater over-exploitation?
Meghalaya
Kerala
Odisha
Punjab
None of the above
Punjab
Punjab faces the most critical groundwater over-exploitation in India, with more than 75% of its blocks categorized as 'over-exploited'. This is primarily driven by the intensive cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy during the Kharif season and a heavy reliance on tube-well irrigation.
Punjab faces the most critical groundwater over-exploitation in India, with more than 75% of its blocks categorized as 'over-exploited'. This is primarily driven by the intensive cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy during the Kharif season and a heavy reliance on tube-well irrigation.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti is the apex national organization responsible for managing and monitoring India's groundwater resources.
Punjab has an extraction rate of groundwater exceeding 160%, indicating that groundwater is being extracted much faster than it is being replenished.
The Green Revolution in the 1960s significantly shifted Punjab's cropping pattern toward water-intensive rice and wheat, fueling the current crisis.
A substantial decline in the water table (often exceeding 1 meter per year in several districts) has led to deepening of borewells and rising costs for farmers.
States like Haryana and Rajasthan also face severe groundwater stress, but Punjab records the highest stage of groundwater development in the country.
Meghalaya and Kerala generally possess better water security due to high annual rainfall and favorable hydrogeological conditions compared to the semi-arid plains of Northwest India.
Odisha's groundwater status is relatively safer; its primary challenges revolve around water quality (fluoride and iron) rather than structural over-extraction.
The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) aims to address such regional imbalances through 'Per Drop More Crop' initiatives.
D is correct тАФ Punjab experiences the highest level of groundwater over-exploitation due to intensive irrigation practices linked to wheat-paddy crop rotation.
When studying Water Resources, always cross-reference this with the 'Green Revolution' topic in History; the adoption of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds in Punjab and Haryana is directly correlated to the spike in groundwater consumption.
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