Lok Sabha Question No. 36 (STARRED), answered on 2022-12-08
Subject: Atal Bhujal Yojana
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Gyaneshwar Patil, Nayab Singh

## *36 SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL

## SHRI NAYAB SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana,  an  initiative  for  ensuring  the  long-term  sustainability  of  ground  water launched by the Government has achieved the desired results and if so, the details of the progress made under the scheme so far;
- (b) whether the scheme is efficient enough to provide any relief or growth in the farmer's income and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)  whether  the  scheme  has  achieved  its  objective  of  improving  ground  water  conservation  in  the  seven identified areas, particularly in Khandwa and Kurukshetra Parliamentary Constituencies and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK  SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *36

ANSWERED ON 08.12.2022

## ATAL BHUJAL YOJANA

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *36  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  08.12.2022  REGARDING  'ATAL  BHUJAL YOJANA'.

(a) Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  was  launched  in  selected  water  stressed  areas  of  7  States  viz.  Gujarat,  Haryana, Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh  in  2020  with  the  objective  of community led sustainable ground water management.

The  scheme  is  bringing  behavioural  change  in  the  community  in  terms  of  awareness  regarding  status  of availability and usage of ground water and how appropriate interventions can sustain it for future generations. The  communities  in  all  8,221  Gram  Panchayats  have  been  mobilised  through  existing  Village  and  Water Sanitation Committees and their capacities have been built up through focused IEC and training programs in terms of ground water data collection and its importance in water budgeting for informed and decentralised decision making. 8,192 community led Water Security Plans (WSPs), having details about water budget and proposed demand side interventions such as micro-irrigation, crop diversification, use of pipelines etc, and supply side interventions such as check dams, farm ponds, recharge shafts and other artificial recharge / water conservation structures, have been prepared. Implementation of WSPs is being done in the field with active involvement  of  communities  through  convergence  of  various  Central  /  State  Government  Schemes  by concerned line departments.

(b) Yes, the scheme aims at sustainable ground water management which would ensure regular availability of water to the farmers and reduce the dependence on rain and thereby impact farmers' income positively.

(c) The  objective  of  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  is  community  led  sustainable  ground  water  management.  As  per recent Ground Water Source Assessment 2022 published by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), through the efforts of Government of India, including this scheme, there has been improvement in some of the Blocks of Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Further,  based  on  regular  monitoring  of  wells  by  CGWB,  decadal  fluctuation  of  water  level  pre-monsoon 2022 compared to average of pre-monsoon 2012-2021 indicates that 91% and 73% of monitoring wells in Atal Jal Districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, respectively, are showing rise in ground water level.

The scheme is being implemented in Shahbad, Ladwa and Pehowa Blocks of Kurukshetra District, Radaur Block  of  Yamunanagar  District  and  Guhla  Block  of  Kaithal  District,  which  all  fall  under  Kurukeshtra Parliamentary Constituency. Water Security Plans of all the Gram Panchayats falling under these 5 Blocks have been prepared. The scheme  is not being implemented in Khandwa Parliamentary Constituency.