Atal Bhujal Yojana: MP Chaudhary flays govt

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, December 27

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Expressing shock at the exclusion of Punjab from Atal Bhujal Yojana launched by the Central Government, Member of Parliament (MP) Santokh Singh Chaudhary on Friday demanded that the state be included in the scheme immediately for conservation of groundwater resources.

The Jal Shakti Ministry under the Central Government has selected seven states namely Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh under this Rs 6,000 crore programme for sustainable groundwater resource management. As per the government, the scheme is expected to benefit nearly 8,350 gram panchayats in 78 districts in these states.

MP Chaudhary said the state was on the verge of desertification as most of the blocks in Punjab are overexploited and in Jalandhar, all ten blocks are overexploited. “Punjab is the food basket of the nation and our industrious farmers brought about the Green Revolution to ensure food security. But in the process, due to various reasons, including intense cultivation of paddy, Punjab’s groundwater started depleting rapidly,” he added.

Terming the groundwater situation a crisis and emergency, the MP stated it is unfortunate and surprising that the Central Government did not include Punjab in Atal Bhujal Yojana despite the water levels being critical in the state.

It is pertinent to mention here that MP Chaudhary has been raising the issue of Punjab’s groundwater level in Parliament. During the Monsoon Session 2019, he had requested the Central Government to launch a scheme for groundwater management and rejuvenation. He had also asked the government to promote crop diversification and give Minimum Support Price (MSP) for other crops, including fruits and vegetables so that farmers can be weaned away from paddy. He had reiterated the same demands during the Winter Session 2019.

“Since Punjab is already burdened with high debt, we urgently need Central assistance to manage and rejuvenate groundwater. So I request Prime Minister Modi to ask the Jal Shakti Ministry to include Punjab in the scheme so that we can save our state from turning into a desert,” he said.