Rs 32K crore allocated for revival of water zones under G RAM G, govt tells Rajya Sabha

Dark zones refer to geographic areas where groundwater extraction exceeds the natural rate of replenishment, causing critical depletion of the water table.

Patil was replying to Punjab MP Satnam Singh Sandhu’s question on Punjab’s groundwater depletion and contamination.

Sandhu said the state was facing a water emergency as 19 districts fall under the dark zone for groundwater and over 62 per cent of groundwater samples in Punjab exceed the safe limit for uranium, which is the highest contamination intensity recorded across the country.

In his reply, the minister said it was compulsory to allocate a minimum share of project costs in each category, under VB-G RAM G, to water conservation, water harvesting and other water-related works, with at least 65 per cent funds allocated to dark zones and critical rural blocks.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said water conservation should be turned into a mass movement with the participation of the people. As many as 44 lakh structures have been made in the country with the co-operation and participation of the people. People have contributed for making water conservation structures even with their own money,” Patil told the Upper House.

Patil said though Atal Bhujal Yojana has been discontinued now, but funds were being provided to all states for the revival of dark zones under the VB—G RAM G Act.

“After the discontinuation of the Atal Bhujal Yojana, water conservation is being done on a large scale. The Atal Bhujal Yoajana scheme had a budgetary provision of Rs 6,000 crore, but now Rs 32,000 crore has been allocated for water conservation under the VB-G RAM G Act, previously known as MGNREGA,” he said, adding that water-stressed regions are now designated as priority areas, enabling enhanced allocations.