Mission Kakatiya acknowledged at the India level!

The State government's flagship program, Mission Kakatiya, has once again been recognized nationally for improving groundwater levels and making water available for irrigation and drinking.

The latest report of the SPI (Social Progress Index) for States and Districts, prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness and Social Progress Imperative, and submitted to the Economic Advisory Council and the Prime Minister, while observing groundwater levels in various States, has recognized the contribution of Mission Kakatiya in improving groundwater levels in Telangana.

Telangana has only two districts in the 'overexploited' category, Hyderabad and Rajanna Sircilla, while 23 districts are in the 'safe' category.

In addition, the report recognized the proactive measures taken by the Telangana government to raise the state's water table.

"Under the Mission Kakatiya of the Telangana Government, people across districts are actively managing water resources. The Mission has given a local government body a mandate to implement various programs, such as water withdrawal and irrigation-based community management, in a decentralized manner. In addition, proposed plans were discussed with villagers and farmers, who were motivated to be included in the process," the report observed..

In the report, Haryana (134.56%), Rajasthan (150.22%), Punjab (164.42%), and Delhi (101.40%) were categorized as 'overexploited' because their groundwater extraction value exceeded 100%. Arunachal Pradesh (0.36%), Sikkim (0.86%), Nagaland (1.04%), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (2.6%), and Mizoram (3.81%) fall in the safe range and have the lowest percent of groundwater extraction than the rest of the country.

Over 110 districts are over-extracted from groundwater resources, i.e., they withdraw water as a percentage of available water of more than 100%. Out of these, water extraction in 17 districts is more than 200%, with Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), Sangrur (Punjab), Jalandhar (Punjab), and Jodhpur (Rajasthan) having the highest percentages of water extraction at 318.63 percent, 301.62%, 257.59%, and 254.07% respectively. In comparison, 513 districts were within the safe stage of groundwater extraction (70%).