Books & Magazines
Atal Bhujal Yojana is a groundwater management scheme launched by the government of India in 2020. Check key details of Atal Bhujal Yojana, including objective, features, benefits, and results.
PWOnlyIAS
July 28, 2025
Atal Bhujal Yojana is a ₹6,000 crore Central Sector Scheme launched in April 2020 to promote sustainable groundwater management in 8,203 Gram Panchayats across 7 states. Atal Bhujal Yojana emphasizes community participation, water budgeting, and transparency, leading to improved water levels, efficient irrigation, and enhanced local capacity.
Atal Bhujal Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Government of India on 1st April 2020. This scheme aims to promote sustainable groundwater management in various parts of India through community participation. The scheme has been implemented for more than six years across 8203 water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 229 blocks of 80 districts.
These grampanchayats are spread over seven states, namely Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The Atal Jal Yojana promotes a bottom-up approach and encourages local bodies to take ownership of water resources. It majorly focuses on promoting awareness, data-based decision-making, and community participation in sustainable groundwater management.
As UPSC exams often cover questions based on government schemes and their objectives, knowing the details of the Atal Bhujal Yojana is crucial to strengthen preparation.
Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) is an INR 6,000 crore central government initiative that aims to promote long-term groundwater conservation through active community participation. It is jointly funded by the Government of India and the World Bank in a 50:50 ratio. To make measured improvements in promoting groundwater sustainability, the scheme targets notable water-stressed regions across seven states of India, covering nearly 8,350 Gram Panchayats.
The Atal Jal is administered by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and combines both top-down policy support and bottom-up community action. It focuses on creating local water security plans, promoting water budgeting, and building capacity at the base level. Through changes in community actions, awareness programs, and the integration of sustainable farming and water-use practices, the scheme aims to build a strong institutional framework for groundwater management.
Understanding the details of the Atal Jal scheme helps UPSC candidates improve their knowledge and strengthen their exam preparation. The table below presents the key highlights of Atal Bhujan Yojana:
| Atal Bhujal Yojana Overview | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Scheme Name | Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) |
| Type | Central Sector Scheme |
| Atal Bhujal Yojana Under Which Ministry | Ministry of Jal Shakti |
| Atal Bhujal Yojana Launched in Which Year | 1st April 2020 |
| Implementation Period of Atal Jal | 6 years (from 2020) |
| Total Budget | INR 6,000 crore |
| Funding Pattern | Equally funded by Government of India and World Bank |
| Target States | Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh |
| Target Districts | 80 districts |
| Target Blocks | 229 administrative blocks/talukas |
| Target Gram Panchayats (GPs) | 8,203 |
| Area Under Efficient Practices | Approximately 9 lakh hectares |
| Women Participation Mandate | Minimum 33% in active decision-making roles |
Atal Bhujal Yojana aims at effectively addressing the growing challenge of groundwater depletion. In 2020, the central government conceptualised it as a strategic measure to ensure the sustainable use of underground water resources. Here are the notable objectives of Atal Bhujal Yojana:
Atal Bhujal Yojana introduced an innovative framework that brings together local initiatives with government support for water sustainability. This scheme is designed on a two-part approach. This includes building local capacity and giving rewards to states based on their performance. This approach promotes both responsibility and results.
Here are the notable features of Atal Bhujal Yojana:
The implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana has resulted in measurable improvements in groundwater management and conservation across participating states. The combination of strategic planning based on data and community participation has resulted in better resource use and administrative accountability.
Here are the major outcomes of Atal Bhujal Yojana:
Atal Bhujal Yojana aims to support broader national goals like doubling farmers’ income and ensuring the sustainability of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The program also empowers communities to actively participate in water governance. Key benefits of Atal Bhujal Yojana are:
| UPSC Mains Question: Examine the reasons for ground water stress and ways through which India can harness floodwaters as a strategy to alleviate water stress? (15 M, 250 Words) |
Ready to boost your UPSC 2026 preparation? Join PW’s UPSC online courses today!
.png)
Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing
Download Our App
Download Our App
Books & Magazines
Prahaar (Mains Wallah)
Prahaar Summary
Mains Wallah (Q&A Bank)
Budget & Economic Survey
Monthly Current Wallah
Weekly Current Wallah
Editorial Summary
Editorial Q&A Compilation
NCERT Wallah
Marks Booster
Udaan 500+
Udaan
Prelims Wallah (Q&A Bank)
<div class="new-fform">
</div>
