The Jal Shakti Ministry on Thursday allocated Rs 98,418 crore in the interim budget for 2024-25, with its flagship Jal Jeevan Mission getting 71 per cent share. The allocation for the ministry in the 2023-24 budget is Rs 96,549 crore. The budget allocation for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DoDWS) is Rs 77,390 crore, an increase of at least 0.4% over 2023-24. Of this, the share of Jal Jeevan Mission is Rs 69,926 crore, which aims to provide safe and sufficient drinking water to all households in rural India by 2024.

So far, the project has provided piped water connections to 19.26 billion rural households in the country, of which 14.22 billion households have been connected to piped water. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), launched in 2014 under the DoDWS, has been allocated Rs 7,192 crore for 2024-25. The same amount has also been allocated for 2023-24.

Under this mission, rural areas have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status which is currently being implemented to ensure sustainability of ODF status and cover solid and liquid waste management arrangements in all villages. In 2023-24, DoDWS allocated Rs 77,032 crore. The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has allocated Rs 21,028 crore for 2024-25, an increase of 7.74% over 2023-24. Last time it was Rs 19,516 crore.

The National Ganga Plan, which comes under the department responsible for implementing plans and projects on the Ganga and its tributaries, has allocated Rs 3,500 crore. The Central Water Commission has allocated Rs 391 crore, the Central Hydropower Research Station has allocated Rs 75 crore and the Central Ground Water Board has allocated Rs 310 crore. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna has been allocated Rs 2,500 crore for 2014-25.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)