Consider the following statements about Atal Bhujal Yojana

(1) It is conceived to arrest the rampant overuse of groundwater in India

(2) It is supported by the World Bank

(3) It is a sub-scheme under National Groundwater Management Improvement Scheme (NGMIS)

Select the correct statements

The correct answer is Option 3: 1 and 2

Key Points

• Statement 1: Atal Bhujal Yojana aims to arrest the overuse of groundwater in India by promoting water conservation, efficient use, and recharge of aquifers, especially in over-exploited areas.
• Statement 2: The scheme is supported by the World Bank, which provides financial assistance and technical support to help achieve sustainable groundwater management.
• Statement 3: Atal Bhujal Yojana is an independent scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, not a sub-scheme of NGMIS, focused on enhancing groundwater management practices at the community level.

Additional Information 

  Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL):

• The Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) is a central sector scheme worth Rs.6,000 crore for sustainable management of groundwater with community participation.
• It envisages people's participation through the formation of ‘Water User Associations’, water budgeting, preparation & implementation of Gram-panchayat-wise water security plans, etc.
• It is being implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti (earlier known as Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation).
• The scheme is being funded by the Government of India and the World Bank on 50:50 basis.
• The identified over-exploited and water-stressed areas for the implementation of the scheme are Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The States have been selected according to the degree of groundwater exploitation and degradation, established legal and regulatory instruments, institutional readiness, and experience in implementing initiatives related to groundwater management.