Jaipur, Dec. 24 -- Rajasthan's groundwater levels recorded a steep fall in 37.5% of wells over five years, from 2019 to 2024, according to data from the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) tabled in Parliament on Friday. The figures reveal an alarming trend of water stress across the state. Responding to a question from Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh, the Union Jal Shakti Ministry submitted the data showing that the CGWB monitors groundwater levels nationwide four times a year. The latest analysis compared post-monsoon readings of 2024 with the decadal average from 2019 to 2023. According to the data, 309 wells, about 37.5% of those studied, showed a fall in groundwater levels. Experts said the decline underscores serious concerns over Rajasthan's growing dependency on depleting aquifers for agriculture and daily use. A further breakdown revealed that 163 of these wells recorded declines of less than two metres, 61 saw drops between two and four metres, and 85 showed falls exceeding four metres. The situation was most severe in the Shekhawati, Mewat and Marwar regions. All ten wells (100%) in Jhunjhunu registered a decline between 2019 and 2024, followed by 22 of 25 wells (88%) in Sikar, seven of eight wells (87.5%) in Kotputli-Behror, and seven of nine wells (77.8%) each in Khairthal-Tijara, Didwana-Kuchaman and Phalodi. To improve groundwater management in these zones, the state government has initiated work under the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which will span 13 districts. A detailed project report for sharing Yamuna water with Haryana is also being prepared, an official said. The data also showed a rise in groundwater levels in 515 wells during the same period. Of these, 263 recorded an increase of less than two metres, 120 rose by two to four metres, and 132 by more than four metres. Water experts have warned of the unsustainable pressure on Rajasthan's water resources, stressing the need for urgent conservation and better groundwater governance. The state has long struggled with erratic rainfall and overextraction, making sustainable management critical for long-term water security. The Jal Shakti Ministry stated, "Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme, has been launched in coordination with the Rajasthan government across 80 water-stressed districts in seven states. The Government is implementing the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the country, including Rajasthan, since 2019...More than 700 Jal Shakti Kendras (JSKs) have been set up under the Abhiyan."...