Comprehensive Review on Groundwater Exploitation, Depletion, and Its Management: Sustainable Approach Toward Agricultural Productivity in India

ABSTRACT In a country like India, where agriculture is the primary occupation, the demand for the development of sustainable approaches in the sector is very important. Though the practice of pumping underground for use in farming dates back centuries, the past half‐century has seen major technical and technological developments for the maximum utilization of groundwater for irrigational purposes. This review attempts to discuss the need for groundwater management and ways of the same. The overuse of groundwater in agricultural practices leads to the resource's depletion at a rate that is greater than the rate at which it can be naturally replenished. The surveys and available literature clearly state that some of the provinces in India, such as Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, have higher groundwater utilization rates in comparison with other states. The increasing strain on groundwater due to uncontrolled abstraction degrades its quantity, while the use of chemical fertilizers degrades its quality. The Indian government has taken numerous legislative and precautionary steps in response to this reality, but a lack of education and political and administrative will has meant that these efforts have been mostly ineffective in improving groundwater management. For the global community to move toward more sustainable groundwater usage, the quality and quantity of groundwater in the current scenario call for enhanced resource governance and management. Here, we discuss the account of challenges, opportunities, and several governmental policies regarding the management and protection of the quality as well as quantity of groundwater, especially in the context of India. This research emphasizes the significant challenges and analyzes the diverse strategies for groundwater development and management.