It is reassuring to know that groundwater in Assam and four other states in the Northeast region is of “excellent category,” implying it is highly suitable for irrigation. What is baffling is that the state and the region continue to be heavily dependent on rainfed cultivation. The “Annual Ground Water Quality Report, 2024” released by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) highlights that 100% of the groundwater samples from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura fall within the excellent category. The CGWB determines the water suitability for irrigation by analysing groundwater samples for sodium absorption ratio and residual sodium carbonate values, the two key indicators of irrigation suitability. Low sodium range in any water sample indicates irrigation suitability. There is little room for complacency as the report states that excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides in farming results in the infiltration of harmful chemicals into groundwater, leading to nitrate contamination. Additionally, over-extraction of groundwater for irrigation depletes aquifers and causes issues like salinization. Any government or private initiative of increasing groundwater for irrigation coverage in the state needs to focus simultaneously on taking adequate precautions against excessive use of fertiliser and pesticides in agricultural production. Compared to indigenous varieties, the high-yielding varieties (HYVs) require more water and chemical fertiliser for optimal yield. The introduction of HYV seeds is a key strategy for boosting agricultural production and transforming subsistence farming into commercial farming. Commercial farming is necessary to produce enough marketable surplus so that farmers, by selling the surplus produce, can increase household income. The farmer needs to augment income from agriculture and allied activities to fund the education of his children, meet healthcare needs, and increase capital expenditure in farming for expansion of area for increasing production. The use of farm machinery and equipment has become an essential and integral part of commercial farming, for which the farmer needs extra money for taking these on rent if he is unable to purchase those. Unless irrigation improves, the farmer will not be keen to invest in HYV, fertiliser, or farm machinery. Detection of pesticide residue above the permissible level in some paddy and tea samples in the state by the All India Network on Pesticide Residues has already set off the alarm bell on pesticide use in agriculture in the state. Ironically, the state has not built adequate capacity to carry out comprehensive and regular testing of samples of agricultural produce arriving at Guwahati and other major markets to ascertain if pesticide and fertiliser residues present meet the food safety criteria. This cautions that mere availability of irrigation-quality groundwater must not lead to indiscriminate use of fertilisers and pesticides to leverage increased irrigation coverage for maximising agricultural production. A key finding of the CGWB report about elevated levels of arsenic in the Brahmaputra River is also cause for concern. The report explains that with increasing population pressures, industrial activities, and agricultural practices, maintaining and improving groundwater quality has become more challenging, and shallow aquifers, in particular, are more susceptible to contamination due to their proximity to surface activities. Adequate precautions must be taken to prevent the contamination of groundwater sources to ensure that adequate freshwater remains available for sustainable commercial farming. Lessons must be learnt from other states where overextraction, excessive use of fertiliser, pesticide use, and industrial activities have already contaminated groundwater sources in many areas and have resulted in degradation of soil health. The Green Revolution bypassing Assam and other states in the region was a blessing in disguise in the sense that it ensured the availability of adequate groundwater in good quality, and traditional organic practice in most areas also helped preserve the soil health condition. However, the erratic and drastically changing rainfall pattern has rendered traditional farming practices commercially unviable. Apart from increasing the area under organic farming, the use of HYV seeds with increased irrigation coverage has become a necessity to boost agricultural production. With the pace of industrialisation being slower than expected, agriculture continues to be the primary source of income for the majority of households in the region. This requires the state government to prioritise boosting agricultural production through the adoption of all key strategies, including area expansion and increasing irrigation coverage. The CWGB report will help the state government to update its policies on the use of groundwater for agricultural and domestic use. Aligning sustainable extraction of groundwater for irrigation with various flagship schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme, which seeks to phase diesel pumps with solar irrigation to ensure affordable and accessible energy and water security to farmers for boosting production and decarbonising farm irrigation and installation of grid-connected and off-grid standalone solar pumps. The government, while setting the targets for solar irrigation, must ensure that the availability of irrigation-quality groundwater beneath each farm field is ensured and fix the permissible limit for extraction.