Atal Bhujal Yojana

News: Ministry of Jal Shakti informed Lok Sabha about Atal Bhujal Yojana

Facts:

• Atal Bhujal Yojana is a central sector scheme under the ministry of Jal Shakti. The scheme was announced in the 2016-17 Union Budget.
•  It aims to recharge groundwater sources and ensure the efficient use of water by involving people at the local level.
• The funding pattern of the scheme is 50:50 between the Government of India and the World Bank.

·         The scheme involves:

o   Formation of Water User Associations,

o   Monitoring and disseminating groundwater data,

o   Water budgeting,

o   Preparation and implementation of Gram-Panchayat wise water security plans and

o   Information, Education & Communication (IEC) activities related to sustainable groundwater management.

• The scheme will be implemented in water-stressed areas of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Additional Information

Govt. Initiatives to deal water crisis in India

1.       Jal Shakti Abhiyan: It is a time-bound, mission mode, water conservation and irrigation efficiency campaign for water security in India.  It was launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in July 2019.

2.       Model Bill for Conservation, Protection, and Regulation of Groundwater, 2016: It seeks to move groundwater from the Easements Act as a private property resource to a Common Pool Resource. It also provides for the demarcation of ‘groundwater protection zones’ and the development of a groundwater security plan.

3.       National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM): Launched in 2012, aims to identify and map aquifers at the micro level to quantify the available groundwater resources.

4.       National Water Mission: It is one of the missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC).  It aims at conservation of water, minimizing wastage of water, increase water use efficiency by 20%.

5.       Composite water management Index: Developed by NITI Aayog, it aims to help the states in better water resource management and conservation.