Jaipur, April 6 -- Construction of new water sources and restoration of old water bodies under the state government's Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan 2.0 is improving groundwater levels in several parts of Rajasthan, a release from the chief minister's office states. The Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan 2.0, announced in the 2024-25 state budget with an allocation of Rs.11,200 crore, aims to create 500,000 water harvesting structures across 20,000 villages. Alongside the construction of anicuts, check dams, ponds, and traditional johads, new wells are also being dug and defunct borewells are being converted into recharge pits to boost groundwater replenishment, the statement said. As a result, many villages are witnessing increased availability of drinking water and irrigation resources, it said. The campaign is also driving broader environmental and economic benefits. Agricultural productivity has improved, green cover is expanding, soil erosion has reduced, and biodiversity is showing signs of recovery, it said. Simultaneously, local employment and income opportunities are increasing due to the large-scale implementation of water infrastructure projects. In the first phase, works have been completed in 5,135 villages across 349 panchayat samitis. More than 116,000 projects have been executed against the initial target of 110,000, with an expenditure of Rs.2,500 crore. The second phase, spanning 337 panchayat samitis, aims to undertake over 100,000 projects. So far, more than 104,000 works worth Rs.2,880 crore have been approved. Of these, over 45,000 projects, valued at more than Rs.1,048 crore, have received formal sanctions. Implementation is underway, with over 8,000 projects already completed at a cost exceeding Rs.148 crore, while the remaining works continue. The government has laid out plans for the third phase in the 2026-27 budget. An investment of Rs.2,500 crore has been announced to execute around 110,000 projects across 5,000 villages to further strengthen the state's long-term water conservation framework. Rajasthan faces acute water scarcity due to low rainfall, erratic monsoons, excessive groundwater extraction, and its vast desert terrain....