In semi-arid regions, groundwater serves as a vital resource, often offsetting the scarcity of surface water. However, increasing demands due to population growth and agricultural expansion have exacerbated groundwater stress, necessitating effective management strategies. This study maps groundwater stress zones in the Bankura Sadar Sub-Division, Bankura District, West Bengal, India, using a multi-criteria decision-making framework to facilitate sustainable resource planning. Twelve geo-environmental parameters were analysed, including Irrigation Intensity, Cropping Intensity, Population Density, Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Rainfall Anomaly Index (for dry and wet seasons), Evapotranspiration, long-term Groundwater Depth Trends, long-term Rainfall Trends (for both seasons) and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI). Historical groundwater depth (1996–2019) and rainfall data (1989–2023) were assessed using the Mann–Kendall and modified Mann–Kendall tests, with Sen’s Slope Estimation quantifying trend magnitudes. Shannon’s Entropy method assigned parameter weights objectively. The study integrates CoCoSo and EDAS models to delineate groundwater stress zones into five categories. Validation via the ROC-AUC technique indicated that CoCoSo outperformed EDAS, achieving an accuracy of 83.3% compared to 71%. CoCoSo classified the region into very low (5.65%), low (23.30%), moderate (25.10%), high (26.01%) and very high (19.93%) stress zones. Among the CD blocks, Saltora and Mejia experience the highest stress, while Gangajalghati, Barjora and Bankura II exhibit moderate stress, and Chhatna, Bankura I and Onda face relatively lower stress levels. The findings highlight critical stress areas requiring urgent management interventions to ensure groundwater sustainability in this semi-arid region.