The Atal Ground Water Scheme has been discontinued, dealing a major blow to efforts to improve groundwater levels in the dark zone areas of Mahendragarh.
The Atal Groundwater Scheme has been discontinued in the district. This closure has dealt a major blow to efforts to improve groundwater levels. The entire district of Mahendragarh is included in the dark zone, which is why this scheme had become a major hope for the district’s residents.
Around 100 crore rupees have been spent under this scheme, creating 25 large, four-acre reservoirs in the district, making water conservation easier. Similarly, a similar amount has been spent on improving groundwater levels in the Mahendragarh and Satnali areas.
Efforts to improve the water level will be affected
The closure of this scheme is bound to impact efforts to improve water levels. Although the scheme was launched in 2020-21 for a five-year term, it will be discontinued in November 2025. A major reason for its closure is believed to be the fact that corruption had become ingrained in the scheme over time.
CM Flying Wing Rewari conducted an investigation into this matter in 2024. The investigation revealed embezzlement of crores of rupees in Mahendragarh, Dadri, and Bhiwani districts. A substantial amount was embezzled by using fake photographs of awareness camps. At present, the scheme is unlikely to be revived.
It is a different matter that the World Bank may release a significant amount of funds again. This scheme covered 1,647 villages, 36 blocks, and 14 districts in Haryana. A budget of ₹617 crore was allocated. The scheme was launched nationwide on December 25, 2019.
This five-year scheme was scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2026. In Haryana, it was launched the following year, 2020-21. The scheme’s goal was to improve the groundwater level by 50 percent from the base level. However, the project was prematurely halted.
Employees were recalled
Employees deployed under the Atal Groundwater Scheme after November 2025 have been recalled. Since then, no new budget has been released in the district. Although there are rumors that the central government has extended the scheme until 2027, no official information has been released yet.
In Mahendragarh district, crores of rupees have been spent under this scheme. More than 100 crore rupees have been spent on the construction of reservoirs alone. The situation in the Nangal Chaudhary and Nizampur blocks of the district is the most dire, with the water level the lowest. Consequently, 25 large reservoirs have been constructed in these areas.
Similarly, approximately 100 crore rupees have been spent on various projects in the Mahendragarh and Satnali areas. Various projects worth approximately 50 crore rupees have been implemented for groundwater recharge.
These mainly included increasing the capacity of Mahendragarh Distributory at a cost of about Rs 30 crore, and digging three ponds of 400 x 200 feet in the Dohan river area in village Majra Kalan to raise the groundwater level of about half a dozen villages including villages Sisoth, Bhagdana, Majra Kalan, Jhuk at a cost of Rs 9 crore.