Introduction
NAQUIM stands for National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme. It is a major groundwater initiative of the Central Ground Water Board, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aimed at scientifically mapping India’s aquifers and preparing management plans for sustainable groundwater use. It basic idea is often captured in the phrase “Know your aquifer, manage your aquifer.”
Aquifer mapping means identifying and studying underground water-bearing formations. Under NAQUIM, this is not limited to locating groundwater. It includes:
• delineation of aquifer boundaries
• characterization of aquifer geometry and thickness
• assessment of groundwater quantity
• study of groundwater quality
• preparation of aquifer-specific management plans
So, NAQUIM is both a scientific mapping exercise and a groundwater management exercise.
Objective
The programme aims to support sustainable groundwater management by generating scientific knowledge about aquifers and translating that knowledge into practical plans for local administrations and communities.
Its broad objectives are:
• to map aquifers in three dimensions
• to understand groundwater availability and quality
• to identify stress, depletion, and contamination issues
• to prepare area-specific groundwater management plans
• to support participatory and evidence-based groundwater governance
The implementing agency is the Central Ground Water Board, which carries out studies under the broader Ground Water Management and Regulation scheme.
Why NAQUIM is important
India depends heavily on groundwater for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial use. In many regions, groundwater extraction has become unsustainable. A major problem is that groundwater is often used without sufficient knowledge of the aquifer system itself.
NAQUIM is important because it shifts groundwater policy from blind extraction to scientific management. It helps answer key questions such as:
• how much groundwater is available
• where it is stored
• what its quality is
• how recharge can be improved
• what management measures are suitable for the local aquifer
Scale of mapping
According to the latest official PIB reply from 5 days ago, during Phase 1.0 of NAQUIM, the entire mappable area of the country of about 25 lakh sq km has been mapped. District-wise aquifer maps and groundwater management plans have also been shared with local administrations. This is the most important current fact to remember.
Outputs of NAQUIM
The programme produces:
• aquifer maps
• hydrogeological information
• groundwater-quality assessment
• area-specific management plans
• district and taluk-level aquifer reports
• recommendations on recharge, extraction, and local interventions
These outputs are shared with States and Union Territories so that local authorities can design suitable interventions.
Management dimension
NAQUIM is not only about scientific mapping. It also includes preparation of Aquifer Management Plans. These plans may recommend:
• artificial recharge structures
• rainwater harvesting
• crop and irrigation adjustments
• regulation of extraction
• groundwater quality mitigation measures
• community-based local water conservation
This makes the programme highly relevant for water security planning.
Current phase and continued use
Even after Phase 1 mapping, NAQUIM continues to be used as the scientific basis for district, taluk, and area-level groundwater planning. Recent parliamentary material from late 2025 shows taluk-wise aquifer mapping and management plans being prepared and used in states like Karnataka, indicating that the programme has moved from broad mapping to finer operational application.
Significance
NAQUIM is important because it introduces a scientific and decentralized approach to groundwater governance. Its significance lies in:
• moving from extraction-led use to aquifer-based management
• helping identify groundwater stress and contamination
• supporting local planning for recharge and conservation
• improving long-term water security
• strengthening evidence-based decision-making in the water sector
NAQUIM is India’s major scientific groundwater mapping and management initiative. It is important not just because it identifies aquifers, but because it connects hydrogeological knowledge with practical groundwater management, recharge planning, and long-term water security.
