Atal Bhujal Yojana is aimed at improving groundwater management through community participation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Atal Bhujal Yojana’ on the 95th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Atal Bhujal Yojana is a scheme aimed at improving groundwater management through community participation. The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the implementation of this scheme on Tuesday. It is a central sector scheme with a total outlay of Rs 60,000 crore to be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The scheme is launched with an aim to improve groundwater management through community participation in seven states.

Here is everything you need to know about Atal Bhujal Yojana

What is Atal Bhujal Yojana?

This scheme is also known as ‘Atal Jal’ which will promote panchayat-led groundwater management and behavioral change with the main focus on demand-side management. It is aimed at contributing towards the goal of promoting participatory groundwater, doubling farmer’s income, improving cropping patterns and promoting efficient and equitable use of groundwater resources, improving water use efficiency on a mass scale and behavioral change at the community level.

Atal Bhujal Yojana has two major components

One component is incentivizing the states for achievements in improved groundwater management practices namely data dissemination implementation of management interventions, preparation of water security plans through the convergence of currently going schemes, adopting demand-side management practices, etc. The other component is institutional strengthening and capacity building for sustainable groundwater management in the states including improving monitoring networks.

Which states are going to be benefitted?

The central sector scheme aims to improve groundwater management through community participation in identified priority areas in seven states – Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka. The official statement said the implementation of the scheme is expected to benefit nearly 8,350-gram panchayats in 78 districts in all these states.

Fund for Atal Jal Scheme

A total of Rs 6,000 crore, 50 percent will be given in the form of World Bank loan (to be repaid by Central Bank) and rest 50 percent will be provided by the Central government. Both the World Bank loan and Central assistance will be passed on to states as grants.

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