On the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, PM Modi launched Atal Bhujal Yojana or Atal Jal Scheme, aimed at improving groundwater management through community participation in seven states.
What is Atal Bhujal Yojana
Atal Bhujal Yojana also known as ‘Atal Jal’, will promote panchayat-led ground water management and behavioural change with primary focus on demand-side management.
The scheme is aimed at contributing towards the goal of doubling farmers’ incomes, promoting participatory ground water management, improving water use efficiency on a mass scale, improving cropping pattern and promoting efficient and equitable use of ground water resources and behavioural change at the community level.
Where will this Scheme be implemented ?
The Scheme will be implemented in identified 8,350 gram panchayats in 78 districts (priority areas) in seven states including –
- Gujarat,
- Haryana,
- Karnataka,
- Madhya Pradesh,
- Maharashtra,
- Rajasthan
- Uttar Pradesh.
Components of Atal Jal
The Scheme has two major components:
- One is institutional strengthening and capacity building for sustainable ground water management in the states including improving monitoring networks, capacity building, strengthening of water user associations.
- The second component is incentivising the states for achievements in improved groundwater management practices namely data dissemination, preparation of water security plans, implementation of management interventions through convergence of ongoing schemes, adopting demand side management practices, etc.
Fund & Budget of Atal Bhujal Yojana ?
The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the implementation of the central sector scheme with a total outlay of Rs 6,000 crore to be implemented over a period of five years (2020-2021 to 2024-2025).
The total outlay of Rs 6,000 crore will have:
- 50% shall be in the form of World Bank loan and will be repaid by the Central Government.
- The remaining 50% shall be through Central assistance from regular budgetary support.
The entire World Bank’s loan component and Central assistance shall be passed on to the states as grants.
