The Centre has announced that 4.455 million wells will be taken up for recharging groundwater in hard rock areas for the benefit of farmers. The government has asked the states government concern to take necessary steps to implement the decision before monsoon this year. The Artificial Recharge of Ground Water through wells scheme was launched keeping in view the concerns of over exploitation of groundwater resources in the country as well as to ensure sustainable water resource management and irrigation facilities in the affected areas. The scheme, approved for a total cost of Rs 1,798.71 crore with net cost of subsidy to the government in terms of civil works being Rs 1,499.27 crore, provides 100 per cent subsidy to marginal and small farmers and 50 per cent subsidy to other farmers. According to the water ministry officials, many areas of the country underlain by hard rock aquifers having limited storage potentials are facing acute problems of over exploitation and depletion of groundwater resources. About 80 per cent of these groundwater stressed areas- over-exploited, critical and semi-critical areas are located in hard rock areas in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu where rapid decline of groundwater levels have been observed on long-term basis. It is a state sector scheme and will be implemented by the respective states government in association with the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the NABARD and NGOs. The officials add that any farmer who have dug well in their agricultural land in the identified areas is beneficiary for the scheme. The scheme provides 100 per cent subsidy to "marginal farmers' (0-1 hectare land holding) and "small farmers' (1-2 hectare land holding) and 50 per cent subsidy to "other farmers' (more than 2 hectare land holding). 4.455 million wells would be taken up for recharge of groundwater in 110 blocks of the identified states. The total cost of the scheme in respect of 4.455 wells is Rs 1871.10 crore. An amount of Rs. 1,499.27 crore is to be provided by the government as subsidy to the farmers, which will be disbursed by the NABARD through the lead bank of the district concerned to identified beneficiaries.