Atal Bhujal Yojana
Atal Bhujal Yojana is Central Government’s Rs 6,000-crore ambitious water conservation scheme launched to deal with the ever-deepening crisis of depleting groundwater level. The main objectives of this scheme are to revitalize groundwater level and create sufficient water storage for agricultural purposes; rejuvenation of surface water bodies so that groundwater level can be increased, especially in the rural areas; recharging sources of groundwater and ensure effective use of water by involving people at local level. The scheme was launched in water-stressed states such as Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The Government has proposed Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) aimed at sustainable ground water management with community participation in select over-exploited and ground water stressed areas in seven States (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh). ABHY is designed as a Central Sector Scheme with a total outlay of Rs. 6,000 Crore and is proposed to be implemented with World Bank assistance.
Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is regulating ground water development in 23 States/UTs. For enforcement of the regulatory measures in these areas, concerned Deputy Commissioners/ District Magistrates have been directed under Section 5 of ‘The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986’ to take necessary action in case of violations of directives of CGWA. No data regarding illegal mineral water/soft drink bottling plants functioning in the country is available with the Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR.
As per the assessment of dynamic ground water resources of country (As on 31st March 2013) carried out jointly by CGWB and State Ground Water Departments, out of the total 6584 numbers of assessment units (Block/ Taluks/ Mandals/ watershed/ Firkka), 1034 units have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’. State-wise number of ‘Over-exploited’ units are given in the table below. This may be due to increase in population, rapid urbanization & industrialization and other related factors.
CATEGORIZATION OF BLOCKS/ MANDALS/ TALUKS IN INDIA
(2013)
|
Sl.
No.
|
States /
Union Territories
|
Total No. of
Assessed Units
|
Over-
Exploited
|
|
|
Nos.
|
%
|
|||
| States | ||||
|
1.
|
Andhra Pradesh |
670
|
61
|
9
|
|
2.
|
Arunachal Pradesh |
11
|
0
|
0
|
|
3.
|
Assam |
27
|
0
|
0
|
|
4.
|
Bihar |
534
|
0
|
0
|
|
5.
|
Chhattisgarh |
146
|
1
|
1
|
|
6.
|
Delhi |
27
|
15
|
56
|
|
7.
|
Goa |
12
|
0
|
0
|
|
8.
|
Gujarat |
223
|
23
|
10
|
|
9.
|
Haryana |
119
|
64
|
54
|
|
10.
|
Himachal Pradesh |
8
|
1
|
13
|
|
11.
|
Jammu & Kashmir |
22
|
0
|
0
|
|
12.
|
Jharkhand |
260
|
4
|
2
|
|
13.
|
Karnataka |
176
|
43
|
24
|
|
14.
|
Kerala |
152
|
1
|
1
|
|
15.
|
Madhya Pradesh |
313
|
25
|
8
|
|
16.
|
Maharashtra |
353
|
9
|
3
|
|
17.
|
Manipur |
9
|
0
|
0
|
|
18.
|
Meghalaya |
11
|
0
|
0
|
|
19.
|
Mizoram |
22
|
0
|
0
|
|
20.
|
Nagaland |
11
|
0
|
0
|
|
21.
|
Odisha |
314
|
0
|
0
|
|
22.
|
Punjab |
138
|
105
|
76
|
|
23.
|
Rajasthan |
248
|
164
|
66
|
|
24.
|
Sikkim |
–
|
–
|
–
|
|
25.
|
Tamil Nadu |
1139
|
358
|
31
|
|
26.
|
Telangana |
443
|
46
|
10
|
|
27.
|
Tripura |
39
|
0
|
0
|
|
28.
|
Uttar Pradesh |
820
|
113
|
14
|
|
29.
|
Uttarakhand |
18
|
0
|
0
|
|
30.
|
West Bengal |
268
|
0
|
0
|
| Total (States) |
6533
|
1033
|
16
|
|
| Union Territories | ||||
|
1.
|
Andaman & Nicobar |
34
|
0
|
0
|
|
2.
|
Chandigarh |
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
3.
|
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
4.
|
Daman & Diu |
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
5.
|
Lakshadweep |
9
|
0
|
0
|
|
6.
|
Puducherry |
4
|
1
|
25
|
| Total (UTs) |
51
|
1
|
2
|
|
| Grand Total |
6584
|
1034
|
16
|
|
CGWA has prepared draft guidelines which stipulates existing & new industries, infrastructure & mining projects etc. to obtain ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC)’. In the draft guidelines framed by CGWA, it is proposed to levy a water conservation fee for issuance of ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC)’ for ground water abstraction. The rates of water conservation fee have been proposed based on the quantum of ground water abstracted, category of ground water assessment unit and use of ground water. Details of rates proposed are given in the table below. Water Conservation Fee will be utilized by the respective State Governments for implementation of ground water recharge/ water conservation measures.
Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources to ensure sustainability and availability are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments.
| Sl.No. | Category of area Ground water use |
Rate of Water Conservation Fee (Rs. Per m3 /day) |
|||
| <500 m3/day | 500 to <1000 m3/day | 1000 to <5000 m3/day | 5000 m3/day and above | ||
| 1 | Safe | 0.90 | 1.00 | 1.10 | 1.20 |
| 2 | Semi-critical | 1.00 | 1.10 | 1.20 | 1.30 |
| 3 | Critical | 1.10 | 1.20 | 1.30 | 1.40 |
| 4 | Over- exploited | 1.20 | 1.30 | 1.40 | 1.50 |
The MoS for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal gave this information in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.