Despite concern over the end use of both ground and river water for industrial purposes, the use of ground water for drinking, irrigation and industries in Odisha is 26.14 per cent. Besides, there is plenty in store for this reportedly finite resource under the earth for use. However, the steps taken for artificial recharge of ground water are not enough in the state, sources say. Sources in the water resources department said that as per estimation of groundwater level conducted in the year 2009 indicates total groundwater resources in the state is 16.69 billion cubic metres (BCM) of which total uses for drinking water, irrigation and industries are to the tune of 4.36 BCM which accounts for 26.14 per cent of total reserve. Sector-wise ground water uses reveal that while 0.74 BCM is made for domestic use, 3.47 BCM is for irrigation and 0.15 BCM is used for industrial purposes. The percentages of uses are domestic 4.44 per cent, irrigation 20.81 per cent and industrial 0.89 per cent. The statistics further reveals there are 308 safe blocks and no semi-critical, critical and over exploited blocks of groundwater in the state. However, there are eight fully saline affected blocks and 36 partly saline affected blocks but categorised as safe in seven districts. Ground water use in Bhadrak district is highest with 55.49 per cent of the total reserve, followed by Kendrapada- 52.80, Balasore- 48.58, Jagatsinghpur- 47.37, Jajpur- 43.09. Malkangiri registers with lowest use of groundwater with 8.76 per cent, followed by Koraput- 9.45 and Kandhamal- 12.45. Mayurbhanj records with maximum groundwater resources with 148194 hectare metre (HM) followed by Ganjam with 114541 HM, Balasore with 110063 HM. On the other hand, Kendrapada district has the lowest ground water resources with only 16,781 HM followed by Jharsuguda with 16,791 HM. Jharsuguda uses maximum 2.82 per cent of ground water for industrial purposes followed by Keonjhar district with 2.62 per cent. As the growth of ground water resources is felt imperative, the state government has undertaken 19 artificial recharge projects. Five projects were taken up during 2003-04 at a cost of Rs 1.87 crore have completed. But other 14 projects which have been funded during 2011-12 are under progress, sources say.