Reviving Karnataka’s Groundwater Under Atal Bhujal Yojana
The pilot scheme improved groundwater management in Karnataka through community participation and conservation measures.
The Atal Bhujal Yojana, a pilot scheme for participatory groundwater management, implemented in selected water-stressed areas across seven States. In Karnataka, the scheme was implemented in 1,199 Gram Panchayats of 14 districts, namely Bagalkot, Belagavi, Bengaluru Rural, Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Gadag, Hassan, Kolar, Ramanagara, Tumakuru and Vijayanagar.
Groundwater Management Efforts in Karnataka
The programme has improved groundwater management through community participation. The formation of Participatory Groundwater Management Committees (PGMC), preparation of Water Security Plans, adoption of water-efficient practices, community-led monitoring, and implementation area of recharge structures contributed to more structured groundwater governance. During the scheme period, over 25,000 water conservation and harvesting structures were created in the Karnataka project areas, and more than 2.1 lakh hectare of land was brought under efficient irrigation practices.
Future Integration of Scheme Outcomes
The Atal Bhujal Yojana was designed as a pilot scheme for ground water management with a fixed duration and outlay. The Ministry has advised all States to take necessary steps to integrate key outcomes of the scheme into their groundwater management plans.
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