Atal Bhujal Yojana

DBT (direct benefit transfer): No

Categories: Utility & Sanitation, Transport & Infrastructure

Sub-categories: Water supply, Infrastructure

Target beneficiaries: Individual, Village

Tags: Farmer, Women, Community, Panchayat, Groundwater, Recharge, Incentive, Training, Irrigation

• - 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

If our local community wants to repair the village temple or mosque using the provided financial support, are we allowed to allocate a portion of the budget for this purpose?

Financial assistance provided cannot be utilized for the construction or maintenance of any religious structures, including temples, mosques, churches, or tombs.

What is the mandatory requirement regarding the inclusion and representation of female members in the local water management committees to qualify for the associated administrative benefits?

At least 33 percent of the total members in the Gram Panchayat-level Water User Associations or Village Water and Sanitation Committees must be women.

Can the local administrative bodies utilise a part of the received financial incentives to pay the monthly salaries of the government employees assigned to assist with the project workload?

The allocated funds cannot be used for the payment of salaries to any regular government employees assigned to assist with the implementation activities.

How frequently must the participating community evaluate and update their assessment of available water resources and current usage to remain compliant with the mandatory administrative guidelines?

The community must engage in regular water budgeting exercises at least once every year, though it is highly recommended to conduct them on a season-wise basis.

Once our village has successfully prepared the required strategy for managing local groundwater and meeting demands, who holds the ultimate authority to officially sanction this critical document?

The finalized Water Security Plan must be formally reviewed, discussed, and officially approved through a formal resolution passed by the local Gram Sabha.

In order to successfully apply for and receive the interventions and financial incentives, which specific regions or geographic locations must our community be currently situated in?

The applicant must be located in identified water-stressed districts or blocks within the states of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, or Uttar Pradesh.

Would our proposal be accepted if we plan to use the allotted financial resources to develop a community-owned resort or restaurant to boost local tourism and the overall economy?

Financial support is strictly prohibited from being utilized for the development of any commercial ventures whatsoever, including hotels, restaurants, resorts, or similar business operations.

What kind of specific local committee needs to be formed or strengthened by the community to take charge of the participatory planning and resource management processes effectively?

The beneficiaries must form or strengthen a Village Water and Sanitation Committee to function specifically as the dedicated Participatory Groundwater Management Committee.

Are we permitted to submit a proposal that involves the construction of major or minor dams to improve the surface water availability in our agricultural district?

The financial provisions cannot be used for the construction of major or minor dams, nor for setting up any new large-scale irrigation systems.

Who is supposed to be responsible for the regular handling of the measurement equipment and the recording of essential groundwater and rainfall data in our village?

Local volunteers or community resource persons must be specifically identified and trained to handle the provided data collection equipment and input the relevant information.

Can the implementation committee use a portion of the financial grant to purchase land for water conservation structures or buy vehicles for official community monitoring visits?

The provided funds are strictly restricted and cannot be used for the purchase of any vehicles, land, arms, ammunition, alcoholic beverages, or tobacco products.

How is the local administration expected to gather feedback from the residents regarding the effectiveness and proper execution of the activities undertaken during the implementation period?

The beneficiaries must actively conduct regular social audits through a designated committee to gather community feedback on the undertaken activities and to ensure overall transparency.

What specific financial records and proofs must our local administrative body maintain and submit to ensure that the received incentive funds are not recalled by the higher authorities?

The Gram Panchayat must maintain proper documentation and submit audited financial statements along with monthly expenditure statements and utilization certificates for the received funds.

After the initial strategy for managing community water resources is drafted and approved, does it remain permanent for the entire five-year period or does it require regular modifications?

The drafted Water Security Plan must be reviewed and systematically updated on an annual basis to accurately reflect changing local water needs and the progress of ongoing interventions.

• https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/aby-mojs
• https://ataljal.mowr.gov.in/WriteReadData/GeneralNotices/398cc9fe-774f-421c-9e3d-82d0ac040659_Atal%20Bhujal%20Yojana%20Program%20Guideline%201.2.pdf
• https://ataljal.mowr.gov.in/Home/Index/EN

Guidelines

https://ataljal.mowr.gov.in/WriteReadData/GeneralNotices/398cc9fe-774f-421c-9e3d-82d0ac040659_Atal%20Bhujal%20Yojana%20Program%20Guideline%201.2.pdf

Website

https://ataljal.mowr.gov.in/Home/Index/EN