Atal Bhujal Yojana Boosts Groundwater Conservation Across Seven States
WATER & WASTE

Atal Bhujal Yojana Boosts Groundwater Conservation Across Seven States

Under the scheme, groundwater measurement and public disclosure have been carried out across all 8,203 Atal Jal Gram Panchayats through both physical and electronic means. Every Gram Panchayat has prepared and annually updated its Community-led Water Budgets and Water Security Plans, supported by more than 1.25 lakh capacity-building trainings at the GP, Block, District, and State levels.

Infrastructure interventions have been substantial: piezometers, Digital Water Level Recorders (DWLRs), and rain gauges have been installed in nearly all participating villages. Additionally, around 81,700 water conservation and recharge structures—including check dams, ponds, and recharge pits—have been constructed or renovated. The scheme has also enabled over 9 lakh hectares to adopt efficient water-use practices such as drip irrigation, sprinklers, mulching, and crop diversification.

Fund allocation under Atal Bhujal Yojana follows a Program for Results model, linking disbursement to state performance on key indicators. Funds are fungible, allowing reallocation from underperforming to better-performing states. Arresting the decline in groundwater levels is a critical performance benchmark, with 83 out of 229 monitored blocks showing improvement as of 31 March 2025.

The Yojana places strong emphasis on reviving traditional water structures—such as Gokatte, Bawdi, Johad, Tanka, Kalyani, and Diggi—tailored to local terrain and climate. Participating states have also pioneered innovative models worth replicating nationwide:

  • Gujarat: Mobile vans for on-the-spot groundwater quality testing.
  • Karnataka: IoT-based precision farming tools (‘FASAL & Phyllo’) saving 20–40% water.
  • Maharashtra: Panchayat-level Groundwater Information Dissemination Centres (GIDC).
  • Rajasthan: Integrated water-saving poly-house model combining micro-irrigation and renewable energy.
  • Madhya Pradesh: Jal Saksharta Rath campaign for grassroots water literacy.
  • Haryana: IISIF software offering personalized irrigation forecasts.
  • Uttar Pradesh: "Know Your GP" QR codes for real-time groundwater data and project tracking.

Currently in its impact assessment phase, the Atal Bhujal Yojana continues to demonstrate the potential of participatory groundwater governance, combining modern technology with traditional wisdom.


Under the scheme, groundwater measurement and public disclosure have been carried out across all 8,203 Atal Jal Gram Panchayats through both physical and electronic means. Every Gram Panchayat has prepared and annually updated its Community-led Water Budgets and Water Security Plans, supported by more than 1.25 lakh capacity-building trainings at the GP, Block, District, and State levels.Infrastructure interventions have been substantial: piezometers, Digital Water Level Recorders (DWLRs), and rain gauges have been installed in nearly all participating villages. Additionally, around 81,700 water conservation and recharge structures—including check dams, ponds, and recharge pits—have been constructed or renovated. The scheme has also enabled over 9 lakh hectares to adopt efficient water-use practices such as drip irrigation, sprinklers, mulching, and crop diversification.Fund allocation under Atal Bhujal Yojana follows a Program for Results model, linking disbursement to state performance on key indicators. Funds are fungible, allowing reallocation from underperforming to better-performing states. Arresting the decline in groundwater levels is a critical performance benchmark, with 83 out of 229 monitored blocks showing improvement as of 31 March 2025.The Yojana places strong emphasis on reviving traditional water structures—such as Gokatte, Bawdi, Johad, Tanka, Kalyani, and Diggi—tailored to local terrain and climate. Participating states have also pioneered innovative models worth replicating nationwide:Gujarat: Mobile vans for on-the-spot groundwater quality testing.Karnataka: IoT-based precision farming tools (‘FASAL & Phyllo’) saving 20–40% water.Maharashtra: Panchayat-level Groundwater Information Dissemination Centres (GIDC).Rajasthan: Integrated water-saving poly-house model combining micro-irrigation and renewable energy.Madhya Pradesh: Jal Saksharta Rath campaign for grassroots water literacy.Haryana: IISIF software offering personalized irrigation forecasts.Uttar Pradesh: Know Your GP QR codes for real-time groundwater data and project tracking.Currently in its impact assessment phase, the Atal Bhujal Yojana continues to demonstrate the potential of participatory groundwater governance, combining modern technology with traditional wisdom.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code