Depleting Water Tables and Groundwater Productivity Issues in India’s Green Revolution States

Abstract

For all its importance to the Green Revolution, groundwater is India’s most valuable and vulnerable natural resource. This is especially true in Punjab and Haryana, two of India’s most agriculturally advanced states. Between 2004 and 2017, groundwater levels in Punjab and Haryana fell by 7 and 5 m, respectively. This study aims to evaluate regional groundwater extraction trends and assess the productivity of groundwater irrigation for rice and wheat, the two most significant crops in Punjab and Haryana. The results indicate significant disparities in groundwater irrigation and economic productivity in both inter-state and intra-state settings.