Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024: first under a standard procedure, over 81% samples safe for irrigation
The CGWB report, released on 31 December 2024, covers more than 15,200 monitoring locations.
Summary
The Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024 of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) was released by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil on 31 December 2024. The report is the first to follow a Standard Operating Procedure for sampling and analysis, covering more than 15,200 monitoring locations, including 4,982 trend stations. It finds that India's ground water is predominantly of the calcium-bicarbonate type and that over 81% of samples are suitable for irrigation on the sodium adsorption ratio and residual sodium carbonate criteria. All samples from the North-Eastern states fell in the excellent category for irrigation.
Key facts
- Released
- 31 December 2024 by C.R. Patil
- Prepared by
- Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)
- First
- Report prepared under a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
- Coverage
- Over 15,200 monitoring locations; 4,982 trend stations
- Water type
- Predominantly calcium-bicarbonate
- Irrigation suitability
- Over 81% samples safe (SAR/RSC); 100% of North-East samples excellent
Practice MCQs 2 questions
According to the Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024, India's ground water is predominantly of which type?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Calcium-bicarbonate type
PIB (Jal Shakti): the report finds ground water to be predominantly of the calcium-bicarbonate type.
Consider the following statements about the Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024 of the CGWB: 1. It is the first such report prepared under a Standard Operating Procedure. 2. It covers more than 15,200 monitoring locations. 3. Over 81% of samples were found suitable for irrigation. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
PIB (Jal Shakti): the report is the first to adopt an SOP, covers over 15,200 monitoring locations, and finds over 81% of samples safe for irrigation. All three statements are correct.