The Gujarat government will do an early launch of the annual “Sujalam Sufalam water conservation drive” this year, on February 17, Rushikesh Patel, cabinet minister and spokesperson for the state government said Tuesday after the cabinet meeting. The scheme, launched in 2018, targets to raise ground-water levels across the state by deepening water bodies and building check-dams to trap run-off water. “It will go on till June 15,” said Patel who is also a minister for health and family welfare. “Every year, this drive used to take place during mid-March or after March. This time we are starting early to conserve maximum water,” the minister said, adding that he was not sure if MNREGA scheme (a central scheme) is being clubbed along with the water conservation drive of the state government. “The state government will bear 60 per cent of cost, while 40 per cent of the expenditure will be borne through public contribution,” the minister said. According to the government, the Sujalam Sufalam drive will run parallel to the ongoing Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) — a central government scheme — where water stressed areas have been identified in seven states, including Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The scheme will cover 2,200 villages in seven districts of Gujarat. Patel said that the Government of India is providing Rs 756 crore under the Atal Bhujal Yojana that will be undertaken in six districts, including those in North Gujarat having water scarcity or low ground-water table. “The aim is to lower the demand of water (through sprinklers, drip irrigation and other techniques) and improve the conservation of water through recharge wells,” he added.
