Project Details
Challenge
The Atal Bhujal Yojana is a scheme launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on December 25, 2019, with the objective of improving groundwater management. Groundwater depletion is defined as the long-term water-level decline caused by sustained groundwater usage. Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India that envisages improvement in groundwater management in the water- stressed areas of identified states viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, with an outlay of INR 6000 Crores.
Quality Council of India (QCI) has been selected as the Third-Party Government Verification Agency (TPGVA) by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
Approach
Atal Jal, with a focus on sustainable groundwater management, aims through convergence among on-going schemes by actively engaging local communities and stakeholders. The goal is to ensure the efficient utilization of funds allocated by both Central and State governments for the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources. The convergence of various initiatives creates incentives for State Governments to make appropriate investments, supported by a strong database, scientific methodologies, and community involvement. The scheme's primary goal is to enhance the institutional framework for participatory groundwater management. It also aims at bringing about behavioral change at the community level through awareness programs and capacity building for fostering sustainable ground water management in the participating States.
The scheme consists integral components like the Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building Components focusing on strengthening the groundwater governance mechanism within the participating States. The Incentive Component is aimed at rewarding/incentivizing the States for various measures aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of ground water resources. The disbursement under this component will be linked with the performance of states against the identified Disbursement Link Indicators (DLIs).
The role of Quality Council of India, as the Third-Party Government Verification Agency (TPGVA) includes establishing baseline data, building the verification protocols to assess the performance of seven implementing states, and preparing performance reports with respect to achievement of DLIs to DoWR, RD&GR within the prescribed time-frame.
The QCI team conducted a comprehensive field assessment during this period, engaging in interactions with individuals from Gram Panchayats and State officials. The primary objective was to understand the level of awareness about the scheme within the villages regarding more awareness about the water related issues and more inclusivity from all genders.
Outcome
The work undertaken by QCI signifies the completion of performance evaluation in which the results indicate that this scheme aims to encourage positive behavioral changes conducive to sustainable groundwater management. In this assessment phase, particular attention was directed toward the community-led development of water security plans, with a specific emphasis on promoting women's involvement in decision-making processes. The scheme offers incentives for directing finances towards enhancing ground water conditions, evident in the rise of ground water levels or the arrest in the declining rate of ground water level.
