Vasundhara Raje brainchild helping in rise of groundwater level

Udaipur: The “Mukhyamantri Jal Swalamban Yojana” (MJSA), a brainchild of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje to make villages self-sufficient in water through public participation, has increased the ground level of water in Udaipur district of the state by around six metres.

Under MJSA, new watershed structure is conceived by former United Nations consultant on conservation of water T Hanumantha Rao and executed by Sriram Vedire, chairman of Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority that implements the flagship programme of the Raje government, by linking it with the Kakatiya-era chain-link-tank system practiced in Telangana.

District collector, Udaipur, Bishnu Charan Mallick told this newspaper that after realising Ms Raje dream project on ground, administration found efforts under MJSA has recharged ground water and ground water level has increased by 5.8 meters.

“Earlier the water level across the district was above 50 feet. And during the summer most of the wells and the bore well went out of water. But now initiative taken under the MJSA, the ground water level has come up to three feet, water level has increased in well and bore well which were earlier dried up. Dependence on water tanker has also almost finished,” Mr Mallick added.

Talking about the benefits of MJSA in the district, Mr Mallick said that apart from increasing ground water table, 314 dry hand pumps out of 602 are now functional and 18 defunct tubewells and 80 open wells are not functional.

“On an average in the district cropped area has increased by 3.37 percent. Most of the cultivators have changed their cropping pattern from tradintional to other crops and agriculture production has increased by 18 to 25,” he added.

Initially the plan was not well received by the residents or legislator as well and termed an eyewash and wastage of public money by the state government. MLA from Vallabhnagar assembly, Maharaj Randhir Singh Bhinder said that when the MJSa was announced lawmakers and public were not convinced. “Chief minister Ms Raje called all the MLAs  and explained the whole concept. Now after successful implementation and result in my constituency and district, I can say she was right,” added Mr Bhinder.

The MJSA, which was launched in 2916 by Ms Raje, has till now benefited over 6,600 villages across the state. During the first phase about 3,249 villages were benefited while in the second phase over 4,213 villages have been benefited.