In order to acknowledge and contain the ever-growing problem of groundwater depletion, the Indian Government introduced the Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) in December 2019 after getting financial approval by the World Bank in 2018. It has been launched under Jal Jeevan Mission of the government.
Atal Bhujal scheme is related to groundwater usage and conservation in India and is one of the important Government Schemes.The objective of the programme was to lay emphasis on the recharge of groundwater resources and improve the exploitation of the groundwater resources, with the involvement of people at the local level.
- The scheme will be implemented and looked over by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation which is now known as the Jal Shakti Ministry.
- Half of the cost of the scheme will be borne by the Government, while the other half will be funded by the World Bank in the form of a loan.
- It is proposed to be launched in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat across 78 districts, 193 blocks and about 8300 gram panchayats.
- To encourage community participation, it has been planned by the government to give 50% of the money to gram panchayats and states as incentives for achieving the groundwater management targets.
Post the data from the Central Ground Water Board report regarding groundwater depletion at an alarming rate in 30% of the assessed blocks from the assessment of groundwater in the country, the Government has fast-tracked the implementation of the Atal Bhujal Yojana.