LUCKNOW, July 19 -- The Uttar Pradesh government's groundwater conservation campaign has yielded remarkable results. The groundwater levels have improved in 29 districts, and the number of over-exploited blocks has come down from 82 to 50, senior officials said. To promote conservation and create awareness, U.P. is observing Groundwater Week from July 16 to 22. Water conservation is among the top priorities for chief minister Yogi Adityanath since taking office in 2017, officials said. Under the Mission Amrit Sarovar, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, U.P. has outperformed other states in the country. Against the target of constructing or rejuvenating 5,550 ponds, U.P. has completed rejuvenation of 16,630 ponds, which is more than three times the target, officials pointed out. Madhya Pradesh achieved second place with constructing 5,839 ponds, followed by Chhattisgarh (2,902), Bihar (2,613), Haryana (2,088), Jharkhand (2,048), and Punjab (1,450). Under the Khet Talab Yojana, the U.P. government has built 37,403 farm ponds since 2017-18. To assist the farmers, the government provides up to 50% subsidy on construction costs, officials said. Water conservation has been a personal priority for chief minister Yogi Adityanath, officials said. In his hometown Gorakhpur, where rainfall is usually abundant, water conservation was rarely considered necessary. However, about a decade ago, at the Gorakhnath Temple, where Yogi is the Goraksha Peethadheeshwar, he introduced advanced water conservation methods, they pointed out....