Security of groundwater is widely regarded as a serious impediment to India's economic and social progress.
According to the Central Ground Water Board's (CGWB) assessment, India's groundwater tables are plummeting at an
alarming rate, with reserves in some regions reaching critical levels. Unregulated groundwater use in southern peninsular India
has also resulted in excessive extraction, lowering the 'critical' threshold. With over 30 million groundwater structures in use,
India is on the verge of a disaster of over-extraction that will leave 60% of all aquifers in critical condition within the next two
decades.
