# Agriculture accounts for 87% of India’s groundwater extraction: Union Minister 2026-08-10T16:26:37+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil told the Rajya Sabha that agriculture accounts for 87% of India's total groundwater extraction. The country extracts 60.63% of its annual groundwater resources, according to the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment for 2025. Total annual extraction is 247 billion cubic metres (BCM), of which 215 BCM goes to irrigation, 28 BCM to domestic use, and 4 BCM to industry. Nine states and Union Territories, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Karnataka, have extraction rates above the national average. District-wise, 281 districts exceed the average. The Annual Ground Water Quality Report for 2025 found groundwater generally potable, with 99% of monitoring stations suitable for irrigation. The government has constructed 525 arsenic-safe wells using cement-sealing technology. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com Tags: agriculture, CR Patil, groundwater, Rajya Sabha, water conservation, water resources Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/agriculture-accounts-for-87-of-indias-groundwater-extraction-union-minister/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/agriculture-accounts-for-87-of-indias-groundwater-extraction-union-minister/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.