Lok Sabha Question No. 3438 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-20
Subject: Implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Smt. Hema Malini

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3438

ANSWERED ON 20.03.2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF ATAL BHUJAL YOJANA

† 3438.

SMT. HEMA MALINI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented by the Government and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether several initiatives have been undertaken by the States under the said scheme and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether any assessment has been made on the overall impact of the scheme based on the progress made therein so far and if so, the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

- (a) Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme with a total outlay of Rs.6000 crore in 8,203 water stressed Gram Panchayats ( GPs ) of 229 administrative Blocks/ Talukas in 80  districts  of  7  States,  viz.,  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and Uttar Pradesh for a period of 6 years from 01.04.2020, with an aim to arrest decline in ground water level through a participatory approach led by community for sustainable groundwater management.
- (b) Atal Bhujal Yojana is the first of its kind scheme to focus on demand side interventions such as microirrigation, crop diversification, use of pipelines etc. for conservation of groundwater. GP-wise Water Security Plans  ( WSPs )  having  details  about  water  budget  and  proposed  demand  side  interventions  such  as  microirrigation, 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 are prepared and executed through convergence of ongoing schemes. The major initiatives / outcomes under Atal Bhujal Yojana are as follows:
- i. In order to enable communities to take informed decisions the Participating States have disclosed ground  water  related  data  in  all  the  Atal  Jal  GPs  through  various  modes  of  disclosure  viz., central/state web portals, display board at each GP, social media, wall paintings, distribution of pamphlets/ brochure, public meetings, use of QR codes and Atal Jal Mobile application.
- ii. States have facilitated preparation of water budgets and community led water security plans for all Atal Jal GPs.

- iii. Participating States have converged an amount of Rs.4,600 crore through ongoing/ new schemes for implementation of supply side and demand side measures as proposed under WSPs.
- iv. An  area  of  around  6.7  lakh  Hectares  has  been  brought  under  efficient  water  use  practices including Drip, Sprinkler, Mulching, Crop Diversification etc. in the Participating States.
- v. More than 77,000 artificial recharge / water conservation structures have been constructed.
- vi. 1,333 GPs and 61 blocks have shown a rise in water levels in 2024.

(c) Quality  Council of  India ( QCI )  has been engaged recently for Overall Impact Assessment Study of Atal Bhujal Yojana.

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