In the UT of Puducherry, the Pondicherry Ground Water Authority has been regulating groundwater extraction by way of issuing permits/renewals to the groundwater users. As per information received from the State Government, the Government of Puducherry has issued G.O. Ms. No. 2/Ag, Puducherry dated 12.04.2023, published in Gazette No. 41 dated 18.04.2023, for this purpose which supersedes the previous Government order with respect to fees and related provisions. The G.O. is modelled on the Ground water Extraction Guidelines dated 24.09.2020 notified by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), M/o Jal Shakti.

As per the information received from State Government of Puducherry, the Pondicherry Ground Water Authority issues permits/renewals for certificates of registration for groundwater extraction for industrial, infrastructure development and bulk water supply purposes in the Union Territory. Instructions have also been issued to the ground water users for construction of more rainwater harvesting structures to increase the water table. As a result, around 223 rainwater harvesting structures have been constructed by groundwater users due to regular monitoring and follow up.

As a result of stringent regulatory measures, according to the data of Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), total annual ground water extraction in the UT of Puducherry (in Puducherry and Karaikal Districts) has slightly declined from 0.15 BCM (Billion Cubic Meters) in 2020 to 0.13 BCM in 2025.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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ND

(Rajya Sabha US Q104) 

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