WATER SCARCE DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY
WATER SCARCE DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY
Water, being a State subject, places the primary responsibility for the augmentation, conservation, assessment and efficient management of water resources with the respective State Governments. However, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the States through technical and financial support.
The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are assessed every year from 2022 jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments to analyze trends in groundwater recharge and extraction. As per the report of “National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024”, shared by CGWB, 102 districts are categorized as ‘Over- exploited’, 22 districts are categorized as ‘Critical’ and 69 districts are categorized as “Semi-critical”. The State wise details of 193 OCS (Over Exploited, Critical and Semi Critical) districts is provided below.
Additionally, the Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019 as a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign in 256 water-stressed districts of the country. The Hon’ble Prime Minister launched “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA: CTR) in 2021 with the tagline “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls”. The Abhiyan was scaled up to cover all districts, blocks, and municipalities across the country.
Although JSA:CTR campaign is implemented nationwide, each edition has included a targeted focus since 2023 to maximize impact. The JSA: CTR 2023, with the theme “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water,” prioritized 150 special focus districts identified by the Jal Jeevan Mission. The JSA: CTR 2024 campaign, themed “Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti,” was carried out across the country with a special focus on 151 districts identified by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The JSA: CTR 2025 was launched with the theme “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Jan Jagrukta Ki Or” emphasizing deeper grassroots engagement, inter-sectoral convergence and innovative financing mechanisms with special focus on 148 districts identified by CGWB. The lists of focused districts under JSA:CTR Campaign (for 2025, 2024 & 2023) is attached at below respectively.
Water’ is State subject and the Central Government supplements the efforts of the States through technical and financial support. Water conservation is one of the foremost priorities of the Government.
To address the challenges faced by States and local bodies in implemention of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan campaign particularly in water-stressed regions, the Government of India has adopted a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach. As part of this strategy, Central teams consisting of Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) of the Rank of Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary/Director/Deputy Secretary and Technical Officers (TOs) from the organizations of DoWR, RD & GR (CWC, CGWB, NIH, CSMRS, CWPRS, etc) are sent for field visits to the focused districts during the campaign for interaction with district authorities on Jal Shakti Abhiyan and to facilitate the districts and provide technical assistance. Further, State Nodal Officers are also appointed by all the states/UTs to oversee the implementation of the campaign at state level. 148 Central Nodal Officers have been appointed for 148 high focus districts for the JSA: CTR 2025-2026 campaign. List of 148 high focus districts are at below.
This 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.
MAM/SMP
(Rajya Sabha US Q2803)
State-wise number of ‘OCS (Over Exploited, Critical and Semi Critical)’ Districts as per National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024
S.No.
State/Union Territories
No. of Over-Exploited
No. of Critical Districts
No. of Semi-Critical Districts
Total no. of OCS Districts
1
Bihar
0
0
2
2
2
Chhattisgarh
0
1
3
4
3
Gujarat
4
0
2
6
4
Haryana
16
1
2
19
5
Jharkhand
0
0
1
1
6
Karnataka
5
4
5
14
7
Kerala
0
0
2
2
8
Madhya Pradesh
6
1
6
13
9
Maharashtra
0
0
5
5
10
Punjab
19
1
0
20
11
Rajasthan
29
0
0
29
12
Tamil Nadu
9
3
10
22
13
Telangana
1
0
2
3
14
Uttar Pradesh
5
7
26
38
15
West Bengal
0
0
1
1
16
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
3
0
0
3
17
Delhi
5
4
1
10
18
Puducherry
0
0
1
1
Grand Total
102
22
69
193
JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN: CATCH THE RAIN -2025
S. No.
State
Name of District
1
Gujarat
Banaskantha
2
Gujarat
Gandhinagar
3
Gujarat
Mahesana
4
Gujarat
Patan
5
Haryana
Ambala
6
Haryana
Bhiwani
7
Haryana
Charkhi Dadri
8
Haryana
Faridabad
9
Haryana
Fatehabad
10
Haryana
Gurgaon
11
Haryana
Jind
12
Haryana
Kaithal
13
Haryana
Karnal
14
Haryana
Kurukshetra
15
Haryana
Mahendragarh
16
Haryana
Panipat
17
Haryana
Rewari
18
Haryana
Sirsa
19
Haryana
Sonipat
20
Haryana
Yamunanagar
21
Karnataka
Bangalore(r)
22
Karnataka
Bangalore(u)
23
Karnataka
Chik ballapur
24
Karnataka
Chitradurga
25
Karnataka
Kolar
26
Madhya Pradesh
Indore
27
Madhya Pradesh
Mandsaur
28
Madhya Pradesh
Neemuch
29
Madhya Pradesh
Ratlam
30
Madhya Pradesh
Shajapur
31
Madhya Pradesh
Ujjain
32
Punjab
Amritsar
33
Punjab
Barnala
34
Punjab
Bathinda
35
Punjab
Faridkot
36
Punjab
Fatehgarg Sahib
37
Punjab
Ferozpur
38
Punjab
Gurdaspur
39
Punjab
Hoshiarpur
40
Punjab
Jalandhar
41
Punjab
Kapurthala
42
Punjab
Ludhiana
43
Punjab
Malerkotla
44
Punjab
Mansa
45
Punjab
Moga
46
Punjab
Patiala
47
Punjab
Mohali
48
Punjab
Nawanshahr
49
Punjab
Sangrur
50
Punjab
Tarn Taran
51
Rajasthan
Ajmer
52
Rajasthan
Alwar
53
Rajasthan
Baran
54
Rajasthan
Barmer
55
Rajasthan
Bharatpur
56
Rajasthan
Bhilwara
57
Rajasthan
Bikaner
58
Rajasthan
Bundi
59
Rajasthan
Chittaurgarh
60
Rajasthan
Churu
61
Rajasthan
Dausa
62
Rajasthan
Dholpur
63
Rajasthan
Jaipur
64
Rajasthan
Jaisalmer
65
Rajasthan
Jalore
66
Rajasthan
Jhalawar
67
Rajasthan
Jhunjhunu
68
Rajasthan
Jodhpur
69
Rajasthan
Karauli
70
Rajasthan
Kota
71
Rajasthan
Nagaur
72
Rajasthan
Pali
73
Rajasthan
Pratapgarh
74
Rajasthan
Rajsamand
75
Rajasthan
Sawai Madhopur
76
Rajasthan
Sikar
77
Rajasthan
Sirohi
78
Rajasthan
Tonk
79
Rajasthan
Udaipur
80
Tamilnadu
Chennai
81
Tamilnadu
Dindigul
82
Tamilnadu
Mayiladuthurai
83
Tamilnadu
Namakkal
84
Tamilnadu
Peramballur
85
Tamilnadu
Salem
86
Tamilnadu
Thanjavur
87
Tamilnadu
Tirupathur
88
Tamilnadu
Vellore
89
Telangana
Hyderabad
90
Uttar Pradesh
Agra
91
Uttar Pradesh
Firozabad
92
Uttar Pradesh
G.B. Nagar
93
Uttar Pradesh
Ghaziabad
94
Uttar Pradesh
Shamli
95
Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu
Dadra Nagar Haveli
96
Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu
Daman
97
Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu
Diu
98
Delhi
New Delhi
99
Delhi
North
100
Delhi
North East
101
Delhi
Shahdara
102
Delhi
South
103
Chhattisgarh
Bemetara
104
Haryana
Palwal
105
Karnataka
Chamrajangar
106
Karnataka
Davangere
107
Karnataka
Ramanagaram
108
Karnataka
Tumkur
109
Madhya Pradesh
Agar
110
Punjab
Ropar
111
Tamilnadu
Dharmapuri
112
Tamilnadu
Karur
113
Tamilnadu
Krishnagiri
114
Uttar Pradesh
JP Nagar (Amroha)
115
Uttar Pradesh
Baghpat
116
Uttar Pradesh
Bulandshahar
117
Uttar Pradesh
Hapur
118
Uttar Pradesh
Hathras
119
Uttar Pradesh
Mahoba
120
Uttar Pradesh
Saharanpur
121
Delhi
East
122
Delhi
South East
123
Delhi
South West
124
Delhi
West
125
Bihar
Jehanabad
126
Jharkhand
Dhanbad
127
Kerala
Kasaragod
128
Maharashtra
Ahmednagar
129
UT-Puducherry
Puducherry Region
130
West Bengal
Nadia
131
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
North and Middle Adaman
132
Andhra Pradesh
Guntur
133
Arunachal Pradesh
Papum Pare (Itanagar)
134
Assam
Kamrup
135
Chandigarh
Chandigarh
136
Goa
Goa North
137
Himachal Pradesh
Una
138
Jammu & Kashmir
Srinagar
139
Ladakh
Kargil
140
Lakshadweep
Kavaratti
141
Manipur
Imphal West
142
Meghalaya
South West Garo Hills
143
Mizoram
Aizawl
144
Nagaland
Dimapur
145
Odisha
Deogarh
146
Sikkim
Soreng
147
Tripura
West Tripura
148
Uttarakhand
Haridwar
JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN: CATCH THE RAIN -2024
S.No.
Name of States/Uts
Name of Districts
1
Andaman and Nicobar
N & M Andaman
2
Andhra Pradesh
Palnadu
3
Andhra Pradesh
SPS Nellore
4
Andhra Pradesh
Kurnool
5
Andhra Pradesh
West Godavari
6
Andhra Pradesh
NTR
7
Andhra Pradesh
Ananthapuramu
8
Andhra Pradesh
Prakasam
9
Arunachal Pradesh
Tirap
10
Assam
Udalguri
11
Assam
Hailakandi
12
Assam
Dhubri
13
Assam
Baksa
14
Bihar
Begusarai
15
Bihar
Kaimur
16
Chandigarh
Chandigarh
17
Chhattisgarh
Bastar
18
Chhattisgarh
Bemetara
19
Chhattisgarh
Dhamtar
20
Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Diu
21
Delhi
North East
22
Delhi
Shahdara
23
Delhi
New Delhi
24
Delhi
West Delhi
25
Goa
South Goa
26
Gujarat
Vadodara
27
Gujarat
Narmada
28
Gujarat
Devbhumi Dwarka
29
Gujarat
Banaskantha
30
Gujarat
Mahesana
31
Gujarat
Patan
32
Haryana
Jind
33
Haryana
Fatehabad
34
Haryana
Sirsa
35
Haryana
Kurukshetra
36
Haryana
Panipat
37
Haryana
Mahendragarh
38
Haryana
Rewari
39
Haryana
Kaithal
40
Haryana
Gurgaon
41
Haryana
Faridabad
42
Himachal Pradesh
Una
43
Himachal Pradesh
Solan
44
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu
45
Jharkhand
Jamtara
46
Jharkhand
Lohardaga
47
Jharkhand
Palamau
48
Jharkhand
Deoghar
49
Jharkhand
Koderma
50
Karnataka
Belagavi
51
Karnataka
Hassan
52
Karnataka
Bijapur
53
Karnataka
Chikkamagaluru
54
Karnataka
Gulbarga
55
Karnataka
Chikbalapur
56
Karnataka
Bidar
57
Karnataka
Dharwad
58
Karnataka
Chitradurga
59
Karnataka
Haveri
60
Kerala
Wayanad
61
Kerala
Kasargod
62
Kerala
Malappuram
63
Ladakh
Kargil
64
Lakshadweep
Lakhshadeep (Agatti & Kavaratti)
65
Madhya Pradesh
Chhatarpur
66
Madhya Pradesh
SIDHI
67
Madhya Pradesh
Shivpuri
68
Madhya Pradesh
Neemuch
69
Madhya Pradesh
Guna
70
Madhya Pradesh
Vidisha
71
Madhya Pradesh
Rajgarh
72
Madhya Pradesh
Ashok Nagar
73
Madhya Pradesh
Sheopur
74
Madhya Pradesh
Agar Malwa
75
Maharashtra
Wardha
76
Maharashtra
Nashik
77
Maharashtra
Beed
78
Maharashtra
Jalna
79
Maharashtra
Solapur
80
Maharashtra
Osmanabad
81
Maharashtra
Dhule
82
Manipur
Imphal
83
Meghalaya
East Khasi Hills
84
Mizoram
Aizawl
85
Nagaland
Dimapui
86
Odisha
Bolangir
87
Odisha
Dhenkanal
88
Odisha
Rayagada
89
Odisha
Nuapada
90
Puducherry
Puducherry
91
Punjab
Bathinda
92
Punjab
Jalandhar
93
Punjab
Ludhiana
94
Punjab
Patiala
95
Punjab
Amritsar
96
Punjab
Sangrur
97
Punjab
Moga
98
Punjab
Barnala
99
Punjab
Mansa
100
Punjab
Hoshiarpur
101
Rajasthan
JAIPUR
102
Rajasthan
JAISALMER
103
Rajasthan
Barmer
104
Rajasthan
CHURU
105
Rajasthan
BIKANER
106
Rajasthan
SIKAR
107
Rajasthan
Alwar
108
Rajasthan
KARAULI
109
Rajasthan
DAUSA
110
Rajasthan
Jodhpur
111
Sikkim
Gangtok
112
Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore
113
Tamil Nadu
Vellore
114
Tamil Nadu
Tirupathur
115
Tamil Nadu
Mayiladuthurai
116
Tamil Nadu
Salem
117
Tamil Nadu
Chennai
118
Tamil Nadu
Namakkal
119
Tamil Nadu
Dindigul
120
Tamil Nadu
Perambalur
121
Tamil Nadu
Thanjavur
122
Telangana
Nalgonda
123
Telangana
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri
124
Telangana
Hyderabad
125
Telangana
Bhadradri Kothagudem
126
Telangana
Adilabad
127
Telangana
Nirmal
128
Telangana
Kamareddy
129
Telangana
Wanaparthy
130
Telangana
Komarambheem Asifabad
131
Telangana
Jogulamba Gadwal
132
Tripura
South Tripura
133
Tripura
North Tripura
134
Tripura
Unakoti
135
Tripura
Dhalai
136
Uttar Pradesh
Prayagraj
137
Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow
138
Uttar Pradesh
Sonbhadra
139
Uttar Pradesh
Agra
140
Uttar Pradesh
Muzaffarnagar
141
Uttar Pradesh
Chitrakoot
142
Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi
143
Uttar Pradesh
Jyotiba Phule Nagar
144
Uttar Pradesh
Gautam Buddha Nagar
145
Uttar Pradesh
Ghaziabad
146
Uttarkhand
Udhamsingh Nagar
147
Uttarkhand
Haridwar
148
Uttarkhand
Champawat
149
West Bengal
Jhargram
150
West Bengal
Dakshin Dinajpur
151
West Bengal
Malda
JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN: CATCH THE RAIN -2023
Sl. No.
State
District
1
A&N Islands
N & M Andaman
2
Andhra Pradesh
Sri Sathya Sai
3
Andhra Pradesh
Chittoor
4
Andhra Pradesh
Annamayya
5
Andhra Pradesh
Prakasam
6
Andhra Pradesh
Y.S.R. Kadapa
7
Arunachal Pradesh
Papum Pare
8
Arunachal Pradesh
East Siang
9
Arunachal Pradesh
Lohit
10
Arunachal Pradesh
Lower Dibang Valley
11
Arunachal Pradesh
Longding
12
Assam
Dima Hasao
13
Assam
Darrang
14
Assam
Kamrup
15
Assam
Dhubri
16
Assam
Barpeta
17
Bihar
Gaya
18
Bihar
Nawada
19
Bihar
Kaimur
20
Bihar
Rohtas
21
Bihar
Aurangabad
22
Chhattisgarh
Bemetara
23
Chhattisgarh
Durg
24
Chhattisgarh
Raigarh
25
Chhattisgarh
Dhamtari
26
Chhattisgarh
Korba
27
DNH & DD
Dadra And Nagar Haveli
28
Goa
North Goa
29
Goa
South Goa
30
Gujarat
Mahi Sagar
31
Gujarat
Surender Nagar
32
Gujarat
Patan
33
Gujarat
Banas kantha
34
Gujarat
Panch Mahal
35
Haryana
Kurukshetra
36
Haryana
Bhiwani
37
Haryana
Palwal
38
Haryana
Hisar
39
Haryana
Panchkula
40
Himachal Pradesh
Shimla
41
Himachal Pradesh
Kangra
42
Himachal Pradesh
Solan
43
Himachal Pradesh
Mandi
44
Himachal Pradesh
Sirmour
45
Jammu & Kashmir
Ganderbal
46
Jammu & Kashmir
Doda
47
Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu
48
Jammu & Kashmir
Ramban
49
Jammu & Kashmir
Bandipora
50
Jharkhand
Dhanbad
51
Jharkhand
Koderma
52
Jharkhand
Ramgarh
53
Jharkhand
Deoghar
54
Jharkhand
Ranchi
55
Karnataka
Chitradurga
56
Karnataka
Chikkaballapura
57
Karnataka
Tumkur
58
Karnataka
Vijaypura
59
Karnataka
Bangalore Rural
60
Kerala
Kasargod
61
Kerala
Malappuram
62
Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram
63
Kerala
Kozhikkode
64
Kerala
Thrissur
65
Ladakh
Kargil
66
Ladakh
Leh
67
Madhya Pradesh
Tikamgarh
68
Madhya Pradesh
Chhatarpur
69
Madhya Pradesh
Sagar
70
Madhya Pradesh
Seoni
71
Madhya Pradesh
Shajapur
72
Maharashtra
Pune
73
Maharashtra
Raigad
74
Maharashtra
Nashik
75
Maharashtra
Ratnagiri
76
Maharashtra
Thane
77
Manipur
Chandel
78
Manipur
Churachanpur
79
Manipur
Imphal East
80
Manipur
Imphal West
81
Manipur
Bishnupur
82
Meghalaya
Ribhoi
83
Meghalaya
South West Garo Hills
84
Meghalaya
West Garo Hills
85
Meghalaya
East Garo Hills
86
Meghalaya
West Jaintia Hills
87
Mizoram
Lunglei
88
Mizoram
Aizawl
89
Mizoram
Serchhip
90
Mizoram
Saiha
91
Mizoram
Lawngtlai
92
Nagaland
Longleng
93
Nagaland
Kohima
94
Nagaland
Tuensang
95
Nagaland
Zunheboto
96
Nagaland
Kiphire
97
Odisha
Sundergarh
98
Odisha
Jharsuguda
99
Odisha
Bargarh
100
Odisha
Angul
101
Odisha
Gajapati
102
Puducherry
Puducherry
103
Puducherry
Karaikal
104
Punjab
Jalandhar
105
Punjab
Kapurthala
106
Punjab
Malerkotla
107
Punjab
Moga
108
Punjab
Sangrur
109
Punjab
Barnala
110
Rajasthan
Jaisalmer
111
Rajasthan
Barmer
112
Rajasthan
Jodhpur
113
Rajasthan
Pali
114
Rajasthan
Rajsamand
115
Rajasthan
Jaipur
116
Sikkim
Namchi
117
Sikkim
Gangtok
118
Sikkim
Soreng
119
Sikkim
Gyalshing
120
Sikkim
Pakyong
121
Tamil Nadu
Ramanathapuram
122
Tamil Nadu
Virudhunagar
123
Tamil Nadu
Pudukottai
124
Tamil Nadu
Dharmapuri
125
Tamil Nadu
Cuddalore
126
Telangana
Jangaon
127
Telangana
Siddipet
128
Telangana
Mahabubnagar
129
Telangana
Rajanna Siricilla
130
Telangana
Rangareddy
131
Tripura
Dhalai
132
Tripura
North Tripura
133
Tripura
Khowai
134
Tripura
Unakoti
135
Tripura
Sepahijala
136
Uttar Pradesh
Mahoba
137
Uttar Pradesh
Chitrakoot
138
Uttar Pradesh
Banda
139
Uttar Pradesh
Jhansi
140
Uttar Pradesh
Sonbhadra
141
Uttarakhand
Dehradun
142
Uttarakhand
Pauri Garhwal
143
Uttarakhand
Nainital
144
Uttarakhand
Almora
145
Uttarakhand
Pithoragarh
146
West Bengal
Jhargram
147
West Bengal
Purulia
148
West Bengal
Paschim Medinipur
149
West Bengal
Paschim Burdwan
150
West Bengal
Bankura
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