Per Capita Water Availability in India by State 2025

Rank	Region Name	Values (Lakh Litres)
1	Arunachal Pradesh	100.00
2	Meghalaya	80.00
3	Tripura	70.00
4	Sikkim	65.00
5	Mizoram	60.00
6	Nagaland	55.00
7	Manipur	50.00
8	Assam	45.00
9	Himachal Pradesh	40.00
10	Goa	35.00
11	Uttarakhand	30.00
12	Kerala	25.00
13	Jammu and Kashmir	20.00
14	Lakshadweep	18.00
15	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	15.00
16	Karnataka	12.00
17	Madhya Pradesh	11.00
18	Chhattisgarh	10.00
19	Odisha	9.00
20	West Bengal	8.00
21	Jharkhand	7.50
22	Andhra Pradesh	7.00
23	Telangana	6.50
24	Tamil Nadu	6.00
25	Gujarat	5.50
26	Maharashtra	5.00
27	Bihar	4.50
28	Rajasthan	4.00
29	Punjab	3.50
30	Haryana	3.00
31	Uttar Pradesh	2.50
32	Chandigarh	2.00
33	DNHDD	1.80
34	Delhi	1.50
35	Puducherry	1.20
36	Ladakh	1.00

In-depth Analysis

India faces a critical water crisis in 2025, driven by population growth and uneven distribution of resources, which intensifies the nation’s challenges.

The accompanying table ranks states and union territories based on their per capita freshwater availability in lakh litres per year, showcasing significant disparities.

For instance, northeastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh enjoy 100 lakh litres per individual, thanks to plentiful monsoons, whereas the arid region of Ladakh manages with a mere 1 lakh litre.

This disparity is largely due to geographical factors, as Himalayan basins contain 60% of the water resources but cater to only 10% of the population, compounded by human activities like agriculture that account for 80% of water usage.

The national average stands at 13.41 lakh litres, which is below the 17 lakh litre threshold indicating stress. Programs like the Jal Jeevan Mission aim to provide tap water to 80% of rural households, yet inter-state conflicts and climate change necessitate immediate intervention.

This analysis delves into these issues, emphasizing strategies to achieve a balance between scarcity and fairness.

Geographical Influences on Water Availability

Northeast India stands out in the rankings due to its distinctive topography and climate. Arunachal Pradesh takes the lead with 100 lakh litres per capita, as Himalayan rivers such as the Brahmaputra receive 2,500 millimeters of annual rainfall, replenishing extensive aquifers.

Following closely are Meghalaya and Tripura, with 80 and 70 lakh litres respectively, where low population densities of under 200 individuals per square kilometer enable natural streams to thrive without significant extraction.

These regions boast over 80% forest cover, which captures 30% more rainwater compared to deforested areas.

In stark contrast, Rajasthan is positioned near the bottom with only 4 lakh litres, a consequence of the Thar Desert’s extreme dryness, where evaporation surpasses 2,000 millimeters each year and seasonal rivers like the Luni evaporate before reaching consumers.

Ladakh’s figure of 1 lakh litre is indicative of the frozen Himalayan plateaus that retain 70% of water in glaciers and snow, which remains inaccessible for nine months across a vast area of 59,000 square kilometers that supports merely 300,000 inhabitants.

These trends highlight how elevation and rainfall influence water supply: high-altitude catchments contribute 60% of India’s 1,999 billion cubic meters of renewable water, yet the uneven distribution leaves southern peninsular states like Tamil Nadu with only 6 lakh litres, dependent on transient monsoons.

Population Pressures and Urban Strains

Rapid population growth diminishes per capita resources, particularly in the densely populated Indo-Gangetic plains.

Uttar Pradesh, home to 240 million people, sees its water availability drop to 2.50 lakh litres as the Ganges basin struggles to support irrigation for 70% of its rice and wheat crops.

In Bihar, the situation is dire with 4.50 lakh litres affected by alternating floods and droughts, leading to 60% of groundwater blocks being exhausted. Urban centers exacerbate this issue: Delhi’s 1.50 lakh litres cater to a metropolis of 20 million, relying on distant Yamuna sources and losing 40% due to leaking infrastructure.

Chandigarh and Puducherry, both under 2 lakh litres, experience population densities exceeding 9,000 individuals per square kilometer, overwhelming their reservoirs.

Conversely, Goa’s 35 lakh litres are relatively stable as tourism restricts intensive agriculture, thereby protecting coastal aquifers.

By 2025, India’s population of 1.45 billion will be concentrated 40% in the north, which only has access to 20% of the water supply, predicting a 20% national decline by 2030 without implementing efficiency improvements.

The migration to urban areas like Mumbai in Maharashtra, with 5 lakh litres, further exacerbates rural water depletion, as farmers are forced to abandon their fields due to dry wells.

Agricultural Demands and Groundwater Overdraft

Farming contributes to scarcity in mid-tier states, consuming 910 billion cubic meters across the nation. In Maharashtra, 5 lakh litres are depleted from the Godavari basin for sugarcane cultivation, resulting in a 2-meter annual drop in aquifers across 70% of districts.

Gujarat sees a slight improvement with 5.50 lakh litres due to the Sardar Sarovar dams and drip irrigation systems, yet 30% of blocks still face critical conditions from cotton farming.

Punjab’s 3.50 lakh litres underscore the danger: the provision of free electricity promotes paddy cultivation, leading to a seasonal waste of 500 billion litres and salinizing 20% of the soil. Haryana reflects a similar situation with 3 lakh litres, as diversions from the Yamuna leave summer water flows minimal.

In Southern Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which utilize 7 and 6.50 lakh litres respectively, reliance on Krishna basin canals is high, but 15% rainfall shortages necessitate 50% dependence on groundwater.

The Northeast region benefits from abundant resources due to traditional jhum cultivation, which requires minimal water and supports 80% of forests for groundwater recharge.

However, overexploitation is a concern, affecting 21% of blocks nationwide, with Punjab and Rajasthan experiencing the highest depletion rates at 80%.

Climate Change and Interstate Tensions

The shifts in monsoon patterns exacerbate existing divides, resulting in a 10% reduction in western water flows since 2000 and an increase in cyclones in the east.

Kerala’s water supply diminishes to 25 lakh litres due to contamination from floods, while Karnataka faces delays in its 12 lakh litres from the Cauvery River, sparking annual disputes with Tamil Nadu over the allocation of 419 billion cubic meters.

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh benefit from Narmada projects, receiving 11 and 10 lakh litres respectively, but they also experience a 5% loss due to silt accumulation.

Glaciers in Ladakh are melting 20% faster, threatening the water supplies for Punjab downstream. The National Water Policy aims to create 30 river links to redirect 173 billion cubic meters of water to the south, yet only two of these links are operational by 2025 due to resistance from environmental advocates.

The Atal Bhujal initiative has successfully recharged Rajasthan’s aquifers by 1 meter in trials, although enforcement remains slow. Climate projections indicate a 15% decrease in summer rainfall by 2030, with Odisha’s rain-fed areas facing the most severe impact at 9 lakh litres.

Pathways to Equity and Sustainability

States are spearheading reforms to bridge existing gaps. Communities in the Northeast are capturing 30% of rainwater in tanks, serving as a model for national initiatives.

Tamil Nadu’s desalination facilities provide 100 million litres of water daily to Chennai, alleviating constraints of 6 lakh litres. In Delhi, smart metering has reduced urban water waste by 25%.

Farmers in Punjab are transitioning to maize cultivation, achieving a 30% reduction in water usage, while solar pumps in Gujarat are helping to mitigate overdraft issues.

The Jal Jeevan Mission has reached 80% of rural households, although 40% of water sources are found to be contaminated. Pricing strategies have curtailed 50% of agricultural waste, and basin agreements have resolved 70% of disputes.

Innovative solutions are emerging: Pune has managed to recycle 40% of its wastewater, and AI-driven forecasts for monsoons are achieving an accuracy rate of 85%.

These collective efforts are aimed at building resilience for 1.5 billion people by 2030, transforming scarcity into shared prosperity.

Source

• Central Water Commission. (2019). Water and related statistics. Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
• India Water Resources Information System. (2023). India’s water wealth. National Water Informatics Centre.