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Chandigarh, July 22: Taking State Government’s vision of groundwater development and management a step further, Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal today approved the engagement of District Implementation Partners (DIPs) for six clusters to support in the successful implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana.
After the approval DIPs will prepare the village water security plans and facilitate the implementation of Atal Jal at the GP level. They will also facilitate community engagement and social behavioural transition.
The approval was given in the review meeting regarding implementation of Atal Bhujal Yojana held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister here today. Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. JP Dalal was also present in the meeting. Officers of various line departments including irrigation and Water Resources, Public Health and Engineering and Agriculture also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Chief Minister while reviewing the progress of Atal Bhujal Yojana programme in the state had directed all concerned authorities to converge the programme with other ongoing water-related schemes of the state that is Mera Paani Meri Virasat and micro-irrigation. He also discussed the future course of action under this programme.
Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Sh. Devender Singh, informed that under Atal Jal a total of 14 districts of Haryana will be covered. That includes 36 groundwater stressed blocks with a total of 1669 GPs. At the compilation of the programme, the state has a target to reduce groundwater depletion by a minimum of 50 percent.
The Chief Minister was further apprised that Atal Bhujal Yojana is a Participatory Groundwater Management scheme supported by the Central government and World Bank and implemented by the Haryana government. The major objective of this scheme is to create the Hydrogeological data network of groundwater resources and further building community institutions to manage the groundwater resources in Haryana.
As a part of the programme, community mobilisation and awareness activities, as well as capacity building of stakeholders, will take place. Initially, the Water Security Plan of each village will be prepared and the same will be implemented over the next four years.
Dr. Satbir Singh Kadian, Project Director - Atal Jal Haryana informed that under the ATAL JAL scheme various Jal Panchayats will take place. During this Panchayat villagers will take ownership of their groundwater resources and will decide the future action plan in consultation with the state team. He further added that this programme will revolutionise the groundwater governance in the state and will set an example for the entire country.
Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D.S Dhesi, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Sh. T.V.S.N Prasad, Director-General, Supplies and Disposal, Sh. Nitin Yadav and other senior officials were also present on this occasion.