The government’s ambitious programme to provide tap-water to all households in the country by 2024 may cost a sum of ₹ 3.6 lakh crore, but the scheme was allocated ₹11,500 crore in the current Budget. This is an increase of 15 per cent over ₹10,000 crore allocated in the previous Budget.

The rest of the funding would be mobilised over the next few years.

Jal Jeevan Mission is aimed at increasing water available to households. To do this, the government plans to augment local water sources, recharge existing sources and promote water harvesting and de-salination wherever required. The programme will focus on delivering water supply on regular basis, in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality.

According to Finance Minister, cities with over a million population will be encouraged to meeting this objective of providing tap during the current year itself. Safe drinking water, together with a comprehensive sanitation programme, is important for reducing the disease burden of the poor, she said.

India has around 18.5 crore rural households. According to Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the country is able to give functional tap-water to only 3.5 crore households. The government is committed to extend the facility to all the houses by 2024, Shekhawat had said earlier.

Apart from supplying the tap-water, the government plans to find ways to reuse the grey water, or discharged water. Both these would be taken care of through the convergence of different schemes taken up by the State governments and the Central government.

Since water is a State subject, the Centre will have to work with the State governments to achieve the target for which the former has promised to extend financial and technical support.

Published on February 1, 2020