**Executive Summary:**
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is implementing the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme, in 8,203 water-stressed Gram Panchayats across seven states from April 1, 2020, for six years. The goal is to improve groundwater levels through community-led, sustainable management. Key activities include public data disclosure, water budget creation, capacity building, enhanced groundwater monitoring, water conservation efforts, and promotion of efficient water use.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Scheme Overview:**
* Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented in 8,203 water-stressed Gram Panchayats (GPs) across seven states.
* The scheme aims to arrest the decline in groundwater levels through community participation.
* The scheme is active for six years, starting from April 1, 2020.
* **Outcomes & Progress:**
* Groundwater data is publicly disclosed in all 8,203 GPs.
* Community-led Water Budgets (WBs) and Water Security Plans (WSPs) are prepared and updated annually by all GPs.
* Extensive training programs have been conducted at GP, state, district, and block levels.
* Groundwater monitoring has been enhanced using various instruments and infrastructure.
* Approximately 81,000 water conservation and recharge structures have been constructed or renovated.
* Around 9 lakh hectares have adopted efficient water-use practices.
* 1,603 GPs in 83 Blocks have demonstrated improvement in groundwater levels.
* **Community Participation:**
* Community participation is central to the scheme.
* Participation is ensured through meetings, discussions, IEC, and awareness programs.
* NGOs are engaged as District Implementation Partners to support communities.
* Minimum 33% women's participation is mandatory in active decision-making roles.
* **Evaluation & Verification:**
* Quality Council of India (QCI) is the Third Party Government Verification Agency for overall impact assessment.
* Incentive amounts are released to states after QCI verification through field visits and data validation.
* QCI has found improved community awareness and interest in groundwater conservation.
* **Transparency & Fund Utilization:**
* Community members actively use provided instruments to generate groundwater data for WBs and WSPs.
* Community Resource Persons work in each GP to coordinate, impart knowledge, and handle data.
* Water data and WSPs are hosted on the Atal Jal Portal and Mobile App for transparency.
* Fund utilization is approved by the State Level Steering Committee.
* QCI verifies activities under the incentives component.
* NPMU officers monitor progress through meetings and field visits.
* The National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) meets biannually for implementation and monitoring.
* The Controller General of Accounts conducts regular audits of SPMUs and NPMU.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Gram Panchayats (GPs):**
* *Impact:* GPs are central to planning, implementing, and monitoring groundwater management activities. They are responsible for creating and updating WBs and WSPs, participating in training programs, and utilizing provided resources to collect and manage water-related data.
* *Action Required:* GPs must actively engage in scheme activities, ensure community participation, maintain and utilize monitoring equipment, and implement water conservation and efficient water-use practices.
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* State governments are responsible for implementing the scheme, engaging NGOs as District Implementation Partners, forming State Level Steering Committees, and ensuring fund utilization.
* *Action Required:* States must oversee the implementation of the scheme, coordinate with various stakeholders, ensure adherence to guidelines, and utilize funds effectively.
* **Community Members:**
* *Impact:* Community members are the primary beneficiaries of the scheme, as it aims to improve groundwater availability and promote sustainable water management practices. They are encouraged to participate in decision-making, adopt efficient irrigation techniques, and contribute to data collection and monitoring.
* *Action Required:* Community members should actively participate in scheme activities, attend training programs, adopt water-efficient practices, and contribute to the collection and management of water-related data.
* **Quality Council of India (QCI):**
* *Impact:* QCI is responsible for third-party verification and impact assessment of the scheme. Their findings influence the release of incentive amounts to states.
* *Action Required:* QCI must conduct thorough field visits, validate data, and provide accurate assessments of the scheme's impact and effectiveness.
Key Entities Referenced
Atal Bhujal Yojana: A Central Sector Scheme implemented in water-stressed areas for sustainable groundwater management through community participation.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Indian government ministry responsible for water resources, river development, and Ganga rejuvenation, overseeing the Atal Bhujal Yojana.
Gujarat: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Haryana: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Karnataka: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Madhya Pradesh: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Maharashtra: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Rajasthan: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Uttar Pradesh: One of the seven states where the Atal Bhujal Yojana is being implemented.
Quality Council of India (QCI): The Third Party Government Verification Agency engaged for Overall Impact Assessment Study of Atal Bhujal Yojana.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 876
ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF ATAL BHUJAL YOJANA
876. SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of implementation of the Atal Bhujal Yojana in the identified States and the specific
outcomes achieved so far in terms of groundwater level improvement and community participation;
(b) the progress made under the said yojana for groundwater management in water-stressed areas;
(c) the details of community participation and convergence with local water bodies and agriculture-related
schemes thereunder;
(d) whether any impact assessments have been conducted to evaluate improvements in groundwater levels
in the country, especially in Jharkhand and if so, the results thereof;
(e) whether the Government has conducted any third-party evaluation or impact assessment of the scheme to
measure its effectiveness and sustainability in groundwater management and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the steps taken/being taken to ensure transparency, community ownership and efficient utilisation of
funds under the yojana, especially in water-stressed districts?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) & (b) Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme, in 8203
water stressed Gram Panchayats (GPs) of 229 administrative blocks/talukas in 80 districts of 7 States viz.
Gujarat, Haryana, 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.
Major outcomes achieved/progress made so far under the scheme in the implementation areas are given
below:
i. Public disclosure of groundwater data has been made across all 8,203 Atal Jal GPs through
physical as well as electronic means.
ii. Community-led Water Budgets (WBs) and Water Security Plans (WSPs) have been prepared
by all GPs and updated annually.
1iii. 1,27,647 GP-level trainings conducted, alongside 94 state-level, 580 district-level, and 1,283
block-level capacity-building trainings.
iv. GP-level groundwater monitoring enhanced with Digital Water Level Recorders, water flow
meters, rain gauges, water quality testing kits, and construction of piezometers.
v. Around 81,000 supply-side structures constructed/renovated for water conservation and
groundwater recharge.
vi. Around 9 lakh hectares brought under efficient water-use practices (drip/sprinkler irrigation,
mulching, crop diversification, etc.).
As a result, 1603 GPs in 83 Blocks have shown improvement in ground water level.
(c) Community participation is fundamental to the implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana. Community
participation has been ensured through regular meetings/ discussions, various modes of IEC, awareness
programmes and materials developed in vernacular languages. NGOs are engaged by the participating states
as District Implementation Partners to facilitate handholding of the communities at each step. Moreover,
social inclusion is adopted through mandatory 33% (minimum) women’s participation in active decision
making roles.
(d) Atal Bhujal Yojana is not being implemented in Jharkhand.
(e) The Government has engaged Quality Council of India (QCI) as the Third Party Government
Verification Agency for Overall Impact Assessment Study of Atal Bhujal Yojana. Incentive amounts under
the Yojana are released to the States only after verification of the claims by QCI through field visits and
data validation. Through several rounds of verification QCI has found that community awareness about
ground water issues has improved in Atal Jal areas and people are showing interest in participating in
ground water conservation activities and also are taking up efficient irrigation practices.
(f) The following steps have been taken to ensure transparency, community ownership and efficient
utilisation of funds under the Atal Bhujal Yojana:
i. Various instruments installed in/supplied to the GPs are being actively used by the community
members to regularly generate ground water related data which are in turn used by them in
preparation of WBs and WSPs;
ii. Moreover, one Community Resource Person is actively working in every GP on voluntary
basis for better coordination, imparting knowledge and handling water related data beyond
scheme period as well;
2iii. All the water related data generated using instruments/equipment provided under Atal Bhujal
Yojana and the WSPs for each GP are hosted on the Atal Jal Portal and Mobile App for
ensuring transparency;
iv. Utilization of funds under the scheme is approved by the State Level Steering Committee,
chaired by the Chief Secretary, based on the requirement of supply and demand side
interventions in the Atal Jal areas;
v. Various activities being taken up the States under the incentives component of the Scheme are
verified by the Third Party Government Verification Agency viz. QCI;
vi. Officers of the NPMU take regular meetings with the officers of the SPMUs and also conduct
frequent field visits to monitor the progress of the Scheme to ensure efficient utilisation of
funds;
vii. Meetings of the National Level Steering Committee (NLSC), which is an inter-ministerial
forum, are held biannually for effective implementation and monitoring of activities under the
Atal Bhujal Yojana;
viii. The Controller General of Accounts, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance,
Government of India conducts regular audit of the State Program Management Units of the
participating States biannually and audit of the National Program Management Unit annually.
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