New Delhi, March 9: The Central government has designated 32,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget for water conservation and the revival of exhausted aquifers through the Vikas Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihoods Campaign (VB-G Ram Ji). Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil announced the funding in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, noting that water-stressed areas have been reclassified as “priority areas” to receive targeted financial support.
The announcement followed concerns raised by Member of Parliament Satnam Singh Sandhu regarding the critical state of Punjab’s water resources. Sandhu stated that 19 of the state’s 23 districts have fallen into “dark zones” due to excessive extraction. He maintained that the water extraction rate in Punjab has reached 156.36 percent, the highest in India, compared to a national average of roughly 60 percent.
“By the year 2039, the groundwater level of Punjab may fall below 300 meters, which will completely dry up the water resources of our state,” Sandhu affirmed, citing reports from the National Green Tribunal. He also declared that 62 percent of the state’s groundwater contains uranium levels exceeding safe limits, creating a significant health risk.
Minister Patil asserted that while the previous Atal Bhu Jal Yojana has concluded, its objectives are being absorbed into the larger VB-G Ram Ji mission. He noted that the new scheme’s budget is significantly larger than the 6,000 crore previously allocated under the old program.
According to the Minister, at least 65 percent of the project funds in the current mission must be directed toward dark zones and vulnerable rural blocks. He stated that the government aims to turn water conservation into a “people’s movement,” noting that 44 lakh structures have already been completed across the country through public participation and the “Karmabhoomi Se Matrabhoomi” initiative for NRIs.
