In a major relief for the farming community in Rajasthan, the state administration has decided to clear more than 156 crore rupees in liabilities that had been pending for the past three years under the central government scheme known as Atal Bhujal Yojana. This sensitive decision by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will directly benefit thousands of cultivators across 17 districts of the state. Agriculture Minister Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena shared details of this development, emphasizing that ensuring farmers receive their rightful dues on time remains a top priority for the administration.
Details of the Scheme and Reasons for the Delays
Operated under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Atal Bhujal Yojana had been implemented in 17 selected districts of Rajasthan starting from April 01, 2020. The primary objective of this initiative was to improve groundwater management and enhance agricultural water use efficiency. Under this framework, financial assistance was provided to cultivators for setting up farm ponds, irrigation pipelines, diggis, agricultural equipment, crop diversification minikits, sprinklers, mini sprinklers, and drip irrigation systems. However, further implementation of the scheme was halted by the central government after October 15, 2025. Because the program was wrapped up, the subsidy payouts for thousands of rural residents got stuck in limbo. This left pending liabilities of 90.91 crore rupees for the agriculture department and 66.16 crore rupees for the horticulture department, causing prolonged financial distress for cultivators.
Continuous Efforts and the Decision to Utilize State Funds
The Rajasthan administration engaged in persistent correspondence with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to secure the release of these pending obligations. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, the agriculture and horticulture ministers, the chairman of the Rajasthan Kisan Aayog, and the chief secretary held multiple rounds of discussions with central authorities. Nevertheless, due to initial delays in administrative approvals and the termination of the central program after October 15, 2025, the central government expressed its inability to disburse the grants. Recognizing the gravity of the situation faced by growers, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stepped in with a compassionate approach. He resolved that even without central funding, the state administration would ensure that not a single penny of the cultivators' dues remained unpaid by drawing from its own resources. Consequently, an unprecedented decision was made to clear one hundred percent of these liabilities through the State Disaster Mitigation Fund.
Finance Department Approval and Direct Benefit Transfer
Following the directives issued by the chief minister, the state finance department granted formal approval to settle the pending dues of the Atal Bhujal Yojana using the aforementioned relief fund. Agriculture Commissioner Naresh Goyal acted promptly, issuing necessary budget allocation orders to the respective district councils and district agriculture officers. Field-level authorities have been instructed to immediately complete physical verification of eligible claims and ensure that the funds are transferred straight into bank accounts through direct benefit transfer. At present, roughly 90 crore rupees of the agriculture department's arrears have been allocated, while the process for settling the 66.16 crore rupees owed by the horticulture department is also in its final stages. Agriculture Minister Dr. Kirodi Lal reiterated that the administration stands firmly with the farming community under all circumstances.
