Atal Bhujal Yojana 2026 - Groundwater Conservation Scheme by Narendra Modi Government

Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) is a groundwater conservation scheme launched by the central government under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the scheme on 25 December 2019, on the 95th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The scheme was run as a pilot with a fixed outlay of ₹6,000 crore.

Scheme has been closed or it was a one time scheme which has been closed by the government.

What is Atal Bhujal Yojana 2026

Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) is a central sector scheme made for sustainable ground water management with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore. Out of this, ₹3,000 crore came as a loan from the World Bank and ₹3,000 crore as matching contribution from the Government of India. The scheme was implemented as a pilot across 8,203 water stressed Gram Panchayats in 229 blocks of 80 districts in seven states from 1 April 2020 to 15 October 2025.

Objectives of Atal Bhujal Yojana

The scheme laid emphasis on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable groundwater management in identified water stressed areas in seven states. It also aimed to improve source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission, support the government's goal of doubling farmers income, and bring behavioral change in the community for optimal water use.

Funds under Atal Bhujal Yojana

Funds under the scheme were given to the states as grants in aid. The World Bank financing was done under a new lending instrument, that is, Program for Results (PforR), where funds were released from the World Bank to the Government of India for payment to participating states based on the achievement of pre agreed results.

Atal Bhujal Yojana was taken up to raise the groundwater level and provide clean water for agriculture use to farmers. The government planned to revive water bodies to properly supply groundwater for agricultural needs. People of both rural and urban areas could take benefit of the scheme.

Implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana

Atal Bhujal Yojana was taken up in 8,203 water stressed Gram Panchayats of Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The state wise details of the areas identified for implementation of the scheme are given below.

State	Districts	Blocks	GPs
Gujarat	6	36	1,873
Haryana	14	36	1,647
Karnataka	14	41	1,199
Madhya Pradesh	6	9	670
Maharashtra	13	43	1,133
Rajasthan	17	38	1,132
Uttar Pradesh	10	26	549
Total	80	229	8,203

Components of Atal Bhujal Yojana

The scheme had two main components under Atal Bhujal Yojana which are as follows.

1. Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building component (₹1,400 crore) for strengthening institutional arrangements for groundwater governance by building a strong data base, scientific approach and community participation in the groundwater sector in the participating states.
2. Incentive Component (₹4,600 crore) for rewarding states for the achievement of pre defined results with focus on community participation, demand management and convergence among various ongoing schemes of the central and state governments.

Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) for Incentive Amount

Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) were fixed on the basis of which the incentive amount was paid. The five DLIs considered are as follows.

• Public disclosure of groundwater data, information and reports (10% of incentive fund)
• Preparation of community led Water Security Plans (15% of incentive fund)
• Public financing of interventions through the convergence of ongoing schemes (20% of incentive fund)
• Adoption of practices for efficient water use (40% of incentive fund)
• Improvement in the rate of decline of groundwater levels (15% of incentive fund)

The incentive funds were fungible and better performing states and areas were eligible for more funds.

Impact of Atal Bhujal Yojana

An Overall Impact Assessment Study of Atal Bhujal Yojana was done by the Quality Council of India (QCI). Based on detailed field surveys and talks with local communities, the study noted clear changes brought by the scheme. These include more community awareness on groundwater issues, more participation of women in leadership and decision making, and a stronger willingness of the community to take part in groundwater conservation.

As per the assessment done during 2023 to 2025, out of 229 blocks covered under the scheme, 180 blocks showed improvement in groundwater levels. Around 9.7 lakh hectares were brought under efficient water use practices like drip and sprinkler irrigation, mulching and crop diversification. More than 90,000 supply side structures were built or renovated, and over 1.28 lakh Gram Panchayat level trainings were held.

Atal Bhujal Yojana was a pilot program with a fixed duration and outlay. It has successfully shown the value of community led groundwater management and given a model that other states can follow.

Salient Features of Atal Bhujal Yojana

The important features and highlights of this scheme are as follows.

Necessity - The level of groundwater dropped to its lowest in recent years because of heavy use across the country. The government planned this scheme to conserve water bodies, which was a major area of concern.

Benefits - The scheme helped in reviving water bodies. The groundwater level also improved, especially in rural areas.

Beneficiaries - The scheme was implemented in identified areas in Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. People could then use groundwater or water from the Ganga river. The scheme gave more benefit to people in rural areas than those in urban areas.

Budget - The central government allotted a budget of ₹6,000 crore for this scheme. Out of the total budget, ₹3,000 crore was spent by the central government while the rest ₹3,000 crore was funded by the World Bank.

The central government introduced this scheme to improve the groundwater level of several water bodies across the country. The scheme was meant to resolve the problem of getting enough water to meet the needs of the agricultural sector.

For more details, visit the official website at Atal Bhujal Yojana official website or the Atal Jal portal at ataljal.mowr.gov.in. The scheme guidelines are available on the official Jal Shakti department website at jalshakti-dowr.gov.in.