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Which one among the following sectors in India consumes the maximum amount of groundwater ?
Explanation
In India, the Agriculture sector is the largest consumer of groundwater. According to the "Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India 2023" report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Ministry of Jal Shakti, agriculture accounts for approximately 87% to 89% of the total annual groundwater extraction. This high consumption is primarily due to the heavy reliance on irrigation for water-intensive crops like paddy, sugarcane, and wheat, especially in the northwestern and southern regions of the country.
- Agriculture: ~89%
- Domestic (Household) Use: ~9%
- Industrial Use: ~2%
India is the largest user of groundwater in the world, extracting more than China and the USA combined. The expansion of tube-well irrigation since the Green Revolution has made groundwater the backbone of India's food security.