'Punah Bharan' Mobile App Launched for Groundwater Recharge

On October 28, 2026, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti launched the 'Punah Bharan' mobile application to assist in scientific groundwater recharge planning.

Key Highlights

Development & Collaboration: Developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics, Gandhinagar (BISAG-N) in collaboration with the National Water Mission (NWM) under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Primary Objective: To identify suitable locations and structures for artificial groundwater recharge using geospatial data.
3-Kilometer Radius Feature: The app can identify potential groundwater recharge zones within a 3-kilometer radius of the user's location.
Structure Selection: Recommends appropriate artificial recharge structures based on local geographical and hydrological conditions.
Web Portal Integration: Features village-level Artificial Recharge Structure (ARS) zonal maps, GIS tools, and thematic data layers.
Data Utilization: Assesses recharge zones by processing geospatial data on rainfall, groundwater levels, groundwater availability, land slope, and drainage patterns.
Expected Impact: Provides decision-support insights for scientific planning and sustainable groundwater management at the grassroots level.