On the Birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL) and named the Strategic Tunnel under Rohtang Pass after Vajpayee, in an event held in New Delhi today.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL) is a Central Sector Scheme for facilitating sustainable ground water management with an outlay of INR 6000 crore. Out of this, INR 3,000 crore will be as loan from the World Bank and INR 3,000 crore as matching contribution from the Government of India (GoI).

The scheme lays emphasis on community participation and demand side interventions for sustainable ground water management in identified water stressed areas in seven States of the country. The scheme also envisages improved source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission, positive contribution to the Government’s goal of ‘doubling farmers income’ and inculcating behavioral changes in the community to facilitate optimal water use.

Funds under the scheme shall be provided to the states as grants-in-aid. The World Bank financing will be done under a new lending instrument, that is, Program for Results (PforR), wherein funds under the scheme will be disbursed from the World Bank to the GoI for disbursement to participating States based on achievement of pre-agreed results.

The scheme is being taken up in 8353 water stressed Gram Panchayats of Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The details of area identified for implementation of the scheme are as below.

 

Details of area & tentative financial allocations

 

Sl.No.	State	Districts	Blocks	GPs
1	Gujarat	6	24	1,816
2	Haryana	13	36	1,895
3	Karnataka	14	41	1,199
4	Madhya Pradesh	5	9	678
5	Maharashtra	13	35	1,339
6	Rajasthan	17	22	876
7	Uttar Pradesh	10	26	550
Â	TOTAL	78	193	8,353

 

Tunnel under Rohtang Pass

The historic decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass was taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The 8.8-kilometre long tunnel is the world’s longest tunnel above an altitude of 3,000 metres. It will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 kilometres and save crores of rupees in transport costs. It is a 10.5-metre wide single tube bi-lane tunnel with a fire proof emergency tunnel built into the main tunnel itself. The breakthrough from both ends was achieved on October 15, 2017. The tunnel is now nearing completion and is a step in the direction of providing all weather connectivity to remote border areas of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh which otherwise remained cut off from the rest of the country for about six months during winters.

 

Major Components of the ATAL JAL  has two major components:

A. Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building Component is for strengthening institutional arrangements for sustainable ground water management in the States, including improving monitoring networks, capacity building, strengthening of Water User Associations, etc.

 B. Incentive Component is for incentivising the States for achievements in improved groundwater management practices namely, data dissemination, reparation of water security plans, implementation of management interventions through convergence of ongoing schemes, adopting demand side management practices, etc. 4

 

ATAL JAL will result in:

 i. Institutional strengthening for improving ground water monitoring networks and capacity building of stakeholders at different levels which will enhance ground water data storage, exchange, analysis and dissemination.

ii. Improved and realistic water budgeting based on an improved database and preparation of community-led Water Security Plans at Panchayat level.

iii. Implementation of Water Security Plans through convergence of various ongoing/new schemes of the Government of India and State Governments to facilitate judicious and effective utilization of funds for sustainable ground water management.

iv. Efficient use of available ground water resources with emphasis on demand side measures such as micro-irrigation, crop diversification, electricity feeder separation, etc. Impact of the ATAL JAL

 a. Source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission3 in the project area with active participation of local communities;

 b. Will contribute towards the goal of doubling the farmers' income;

c. Will promote participatory ground water management; d. Improved water use efficiency on a mass scale and improved cropping pattern; and e. Promotion of efficient and equitable use of ground water resources and behavioural change at the community level.