Involve people in solving water woes

It’s heartening that the Centre has taken note of community-based solutions

The Union government has finalised a ₹6,000-crore scheme to tackle the country’s depleting groundwater level. The Atal Bhujal Yojana, which is now awaiting the Cabinet’s clearance, will be launched in seven states, covering 78 districts, 193 blocks and more than 8,300 gram panchayats. The excessive extraction of groundwater, the debilitating impact of climate change on monsoons, which recharges aquifers, and lax implementation of water harvesting laws will impact not just the population’s drinking water needs, but also agriculture and industrial growth.

The most heart-warming aspect of the scheme is the sharp focus on community water management change. The government plans to give 50% of the money to states, including gram panchayats, as incentives for achieving targets in groundwater management. Certain states, such as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, have shown the benefits of community-driven aquifer management. For example, instead of blaming the monsoon and fate, farmers in water-stressed Anantapur district have formed a collective to “share groundwater with each other” to sustain their crops. In Telangana, several villages in six districts are also piloting a similar participatory groundwater management programme. This is the way forward, and it’s heartening to note that the government has finally taken note of such solutions.