Atal Bhujal Yojana
Why it Matters?
The 8th National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) meeting of Atal Bhujal Yojana was held in New Delhi under the chairpersonship of Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR).
What You Should Know?
Atal Bhujal Yojana is a community-led groundwater management scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti with support from the World Bank.
The scheme focuses on local participation, awareness generation, and groundwater data-based planning to promote sustainable usage.
States were encouraged to implement water budgeting in all Gram Panchayats to promote community participation.
A pilot case study from Ismailpur Gram Panchayat, Haryana, showed successful application of high-frequency groundwater data for planning.
An Impact Assessment by the Quality Council of India (QCI) reported outcomes like increased community awareness, greater women’s participation, inclusive practices, behavioural shift towards water-efficient practices and cropping patterns, and socio-economic benefits.
The scheme is in its sixth year of implementation and aims to scale up successful models.
Participating States presented best practices and innovations, enabling cross-learning and replication across regions.
The World Bank highlighted its implementation support and encouraged optimum fund utilization for maximum impact.