Atal Bhujal Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Atal Bhujal Yojana on December 25, 2019, to promote groundwater management in the country. The program will be carried out by Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and it was launched in a ceremony conducted in New Delhi to supply drinking water to every home. Let us have a look at the Atal Bhujal Yojana and how it will aid in the resolution of groundwater resource challenges.

Groundwater Usage:

Groundwater is a major source of water in India today, accounting for 63 percent of total irrigation and more than 80 percent of rural and urban domestic water supplies. According to a UN report, India is the largest extractor of groundwater, extracting around 245 billion cubic meters (BCM) of groundwater per year, accounting for nearly 25% of total worldwide groundwater abstraction. According to the Govt, out of the 245 BCM, 222 BCM of groundwater is used for irrigation each year, with the remaining 23 BCM consumed by the household and industrial sectors. As a result, we may claim that farmers use groundwater for irrigation on a large scale. Farmers grow crops such as sugarcane and rice, which require a lot of water.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently published a report titled World Water Development Report, which said that India is the world’s greatest extractor of groundwater. Over the last seven years, approximately 54% of India’s groundwater wells have dropped, and 21 large cities are predicted to run out of groundwater by 2020.

As the population grows, so does the need for food, requiring farmers to grow more food while simultaneously requiring more water for irrigation, resulting in groundwater depletion. One thing to keep in mind is that crops like sugarcane and rice require more water to flourish, and farmers have grown them in large quantities that are not required. As a result of inadequate management or planning, the water index is low. According to NITI Aayog, around 75% of families do not have access to drinking water, nearly 84 percent of rural homes do not have piped water access, and approximately 70% of India’s water is contaminated. In terms of water quality, India currently ranks 120th out of 122 countries.

The Goal of the Atal Bhujal Yojana:

The Atal Bhujal Yojana is being launched to commemorate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 95th birthday. The scheme is popularly known as ‘Atal Jal,’ which will improve groundwater management through community participation in seven states, including Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. As a result, this method will be effective in areas with a low water table.

Who will be benefited from this scheme?

The scheme’s implementation is estimated to assist around 8350 Gram Panchayats in 78 districts throughout the aforementioned states. This yojana promotes panchayat-led groundwater management and is consistent with Bapu’s Gram Swaraj worldview. The project will be implemented over a five-year period, from 2020-21 to 2024-25. In terms of groundwater, the above-mentioned states account for approximately 25% of the total number of over-exploited, critical, and semi-critical blocks in India.

Atal Bhujal Yojana aspects:

• The scheme’s overall budget is Rs 6000 crore. The World Bank loan will account for half of the total, with the remaining half coming from Central Assistance from normal budgetary support.
• The first component for sustainable groundwater management in states is institutional strengthening and capacity building, which includes improving monitoring networks, increasing capacity, and strengthening water user associations.
• The second component for enhancing groundwater management techniques is incentivizing states to do things like disseminate data, create water security plans, implement demand-side management practices, and so on.
• In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged farmers to convert to water-saving crops and warned citizens not to waste scarce natural resources on daily household necessities. He also claimed that some start-ups are developing technology to ensure the least amount of water is used for various purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1) Who introduced the ATY scheme and where was introduced?

Ans: Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Atal Bhujal Yojana on December 25, 2019, to promote groundwater management in the country. The program will be carried out by Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Let us have a look at the Atal Bhujal Yojana and how it will aid in the resolution of groundwater resource challenges.
In a ceremony conducted in New Delhi to supply drinking water to every home, the Strategic Tunnel under Rohtang Pass was also named after Vajpayee. The Atal Bhujal Yojana will improve the country’s groundwater management.

2) Who will be benefited from the Atal Bhujal Yojana scheme?

Ans: The scheme’s implementation is estimated to assist around 8350 Gram Panchayats in 78 districts throughout the aforementioned states. This yojana promotes panchayat-led groundwater management and is consistent with Bapu’s Gram Swarajya worldview. The project will be implemented over a five-year period, from 2020-21 to 2024-25. In terms of groundwater, the above-mentioned states account for approximately 25% of the total number of over-exploited, critical, and semi-critical blocks in India.

3) What was the goal Atal Bhujal Yojana scheme?

Ans: The Atal Bhujal Yojana, popularly known as ‘Atal Jal,’ will improve groundwater management through community participation in seven states, including Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. As a result, this method will be effective in areas with a low water table.

4) What is the budget for the Atal Bhujal Yojana scheme?

Ans: The scheme’s overall budget is Rs 6000 crore. The World Bank loan will account for half of the total, with the remaining half coming from Central Assistance from normal budgetary support.

5) On whose Birthday the Atal Bhujal Yojana scheme was introduced?

Ans: The scheme is being launched to commemorate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 95th birthday.

6) What are the aspects of the Atal Bhujal Yojana Scheme?

Ans: The first component for sustainable groundwater management in states is institutional strengthening and capacity building, which includes improving monitoring networks, increasing capacity, and strengthening water user associations.

The second component for enhancing groundwater management techniques is incentivizing states to do things like disseminate data, create water security plans, implement demand-side management practices, and so on.

In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged farmers to convert to water-saving crops and warned citizens not to waste scarce natural resources on daily household necessities. He also claimed that some start-ups are developing technology to ensure the least amount of water is used for various purposes.