Groundwater conservation: Rs 1,35,395 lakh spent in J&K over last five years, says Centre

New Delhi, Jul 24: The Government of India (GoI) has implemented a series of initiatives in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh over the last five years to improve groundwater levels, promote rainwater harvesting, and boost awareness on water conservation.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti, in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, provided a detailed account of the funds spent and programmes undertaken in the two Union Territories under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) and related schemes.
According to the reply, a total of Rs 1,35,395 lakh was spent in Jammu & Kashmir between 2021 and 2025 across five key areas: water conservation and rainwater harvesting (Rs 36,413 lakh), renovation of traditional water bodies (Rs 8,197 lakh), reuse and recharge structures (Rs 14,619 lakh), watershed development (Rs 69,237 lakh), and intensive afforestation (Rs 6,927 lakh).
In Ladakh, the expenditure was Rs 7,222 lakh, including Rs 2,953 lakh each for water conservation and watershed development, Rs 1,031 lakh for reuse and recharge structures, and smaller amounts for other components.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan has been in operation since 2019 as a mission-mode, time-bound programme focused on over-exploited and critical districts. In 2024, a new initiative under JSA titled Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) was launched to construct cost-effective groundwater recharge structures using locally suited designs and community participation, the ministry said.
Additionally, Atal Bhujal Yojana, a groundwater management programme implemented in select water-stressed districts of seven states, has not yet been extended to the Union Territories but follows a participatory model that could be replicated in future interventions in J&K and Ladakh.
For long-term planning, aquifer mapping across the country has been completed under the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM). Micro-level studies under NAQUIM 2.0 have also been undertaken in water-stressed and ecologically sensitive zones.
The government has also focused on community awareness and capacity building, including public interaction programmes on groundwater management, training sessions at the Gram Panchayat level, and information dissemination through Jal Shakti Kendras, the reply states.
The Ministry further stated that groundwater management is primarily a State subject, but the Centre continues to offer technical support and financial assistance to UT administrations for recharge, monitoring, and conservation efforts. (KNO)