ABY-MOJS

The scheme aims to improve the management of groundwater resources in water-stressed areas. It provides institutional strengthening and financial incentives to Gram Panchayats and local communities for sustainable groundwater management and water-efficient practices.

The scheme "Atal Bhujal Yojana" was launched by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, in 2020. The scheme aims to improve the management of groundwater resources in the water-stressed areas of the selected states. The scheme provides institutional strengthening, capacity building, and financial incentives for the preparation of community-led Water Security Plans, adoption of efficient water use practices, and improvement in the rate of decline of groundwater levels. The applicant must ensure community participation, measure groundwater levels, prepare a water budget, and develop a Gram Panchayat-level Water Security Plan. The scheme is implemented by the National Program Management Unit at the central level and State Program Management Units at the state level. The applications for this scheme are accepted through the submission of Water Security Plans to the District Program Management Units for further action and consolidation.

• The applicant must reside or operate within the identified water-stressed districts, blocks, or Gram Panchayats selected for the scheme.
• The applicant must be located in one of the seven participating states, namely Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, or Uttar Pradesh.
• The applicant must formulate a Water Security Plan with active community participation.
• The applicant must obtain the final approval of the prepared Water Security Plan from the Gram Sabha.
• The applicant must ensure the presence of at least 33% female members in the Gram Panchayat-level Water User Associations or Village Water and Sanitation Committees.
• The applicant should identify and train local volunteers or community resource persons to handle data collection equipment.

• The scheme provides an overall financial outlay of ₹60,00,00,00,000/- over five years, which includes ₹30,00,00,00,000/- as a loan from the World Bank and ₹30,00,00,00,000/- as a matching contribution from the Government of India.
• The Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building Component offers ₹14,00,00,00,000/- for training, community mobilization, and the procurement of equipment such as Digital Water Level Recorders, rain gauges, and water quality testing kits.
• The Incentive Component provides ₹46,00,00,00,000/- in financial rewards to states and Gram Panchayats for achieving predefined targets in groundwater management.
• The scheme funds demand-side interventions, including micro-irrigation practices like drip and sprinkler systems, the use of recycled or reused water for irrigation, underground pipelines, and crop diversification.
• The scheme supports supply-side interventions, including the construction of artificial recharge and water conservation structures such as check dams, percolation ponds, contour trenches, sub-surface dykes, and farm ponds.
• The scheme provides for the upgrading of state-level groundwater quality laboratories to receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

##### Conditions

• The beneficiary must form or strengthen a Village Water and Sanitation Committee to function as the Participatory Groundwater Management Committee.
• The beneficiary must continuously engage in regular water budgeting exercises, preferably season-wise or at least once a year.
• The beneficiary must update the Water Security Plan on an annual basis to reflect changing water needs and interventions.
• The beneficiary must actively conduct social audits to gather community feedback regarding the activities undertaken during the implementation of the scheme.
• The beneficiary must maintain proper documentation and submit audited financial statements and utilization certificates to avoid the recall of scheme funds.

The applicant MUST NOT utilize the scheme funds for -

• Construction of major or minor dams.
• Construction of new large-scale irrigation systems.
• Major industrial wastewater collection, treatment, and injection systems.
• Payment of salaries to government employees.
• Construction or maintenance of religious structures such as temples, mosques, churches, or tombs.
• Development of commercial ventures, including hotels, restaurants, or resorts.
• Activities of a military or paramilitary nature.
• Purchase of vehicles, land, arms, ammunition, alcohol, or tobacco.