Implementation and Impact of Atal Bhujal Yojana
The Atal Bhujal Yojana, a community-led participatory groundwater management scheme, was implemented as a pilot program across 8,203 water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 229 blocks of 80 districts across seven states (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) during the period from April 1, 2020, to October 15, 2025. The scheme was not implemented in Chhattisgarh state.
Assessment Results and Groundwater Improvement
An Overall Impact Assessment Study conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI) through detailed field surveys found that 180 out of the 229 blocks covered under the scheme showed improvement in groundwater levels during the assessment period from 2023 to 2025. State-wise performance shows Maharashtra achieved particularly strong results with 39 out of its 43 covered blocks showing groundwater improvement, including all four blocks in Jalgaon District (Amalner, Parola, Raver, and Yawal).
Infrastructure Development and Water Conservation Measures
The scheme resulted in the creation or renovation of 90,494 supply-side structures (check dams, ponds, recharge shafts, etc.) across the seven states. Maharashtra accounted for 11,622 of these structures, with 589 specifically in Jalgaon district. Additionally, approximately 9.7 lakh hectares were brought under efficient water-use practices including drip/sprinkler irrigation, mulching, crop diversification, and other conservation methods across the seven states.
Community Participation and Capacity Building
The program emphasized community participation with more than 1.28 lakh Gram Panchayat-level trainings conducted, alongside block, district, and state-level capacity-building trainings. NGOs were engaged as District Implementation Partners, and a minimum of 33% women's participation in active decision-making was mandated. The scheme also involved installation of piezometers with Digital Water Level Recorders and rain gauges in almost all Gram Panchayats, monitoring of around 70,000 wells at GP level, and mapping of over 99,000 existing water conservation and artificial recharge structures.
State-wise Performance Details
The annexures provide detailed breakdowns by state: Gujarat implemented the scheme in 36 blocks with 31 showing improvement; Haryana had 36 blocks with 19 improving; Karnataka covered 41 blocks with 37 improving; Madhya Pradesh achieved 100% success with all 9 blocks showing improvement; Rajasthan had 38 blocks with 29 improving; and Uttar Pradesh covered 26 blocks with 16 showing groundwater level improvement. Madhya Pradesh specifically reported 12,369 trainings conducted, monitoring of 6,799 wells, mapping of 6,986 existing structures, and 21,204.49 hectares brought under efficient water-use practices.