Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said thegovernment plans to ensure piped water supply to all rural households by 2024under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
“Ensuring India’s water security and providing accessto safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians is a priority of thegovernment,” said Sitharaman while presenting the Budget for 2019-20 inthe Lok Sabha.
The government has allocated Rs 10,000 core for the NationalRural Drinking Water Mission in the 2019-20 Budget as against Rs 5,500 crore inthe 2018-19 (Revised) Budget.
She said the Jal Jeevan Mission will focus on integrateddemand and supply side management of water at the local level, includingcreation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwaterharvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household waste water forreuse in agriculture.
The Minister said that 1,592 Blocks spread across 256districts which were critical and over exploited had been identified for theJal Shakti Abhiyan.
Besides using funds available under various schemes, thegovernment will explore the possibility of using additional funds availableunder the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority(CAMPA) for this purpose, Sitharaman said.
The Department of Water Resources, River Development andGanga Rejuvenation has got Rs 8,245 crore in this Budget. It got Rs 7,612 crorein in the 2018-19 (Revised) Budget.