Centre allocates Rs6,872cr grant to Rajasthan under Jal Jeevan Mission

7 Jan 2022 , 09:02 AM

Drinking water supply schemes of Rs6,872.28cr were approved for Rajasthan under Jal Jeevan Mission in the State-level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) meeting held on January 05, 2022. These schemes will provide tap water supply to more than 6.56 lakh rural households in 3,213 villages spread over 27 districts. Of these, there are 5 multi village major projects and remaining are single village schemes.

To translate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring clean tap water in every rural household and relieving women and girls from drudgery of fetching water from a distance, the Mission, has released Rs2,345.08cr Central grant-in-aid to Rajasthan in 2021-22.

This year, the Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has allocated Rs10,180.50cr to the State for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission which is four-fold increase from last year’s allocation. Union Minister, Jal Shakti, assured full assistance to the State for making provision of tap water supply in every rural home by December, 2024.

On 15th August 2019, at the time of launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 11.74 lakh (11.57%) rural homes in the State had tap water supply. In last 28 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, the State has provided tap water connections to 10.5 lakh (10.3%) households. As on date, out of 1.01 Crore rural household in the State, 22.23 lakh (21.92%) are getting tap water supply in their homes. In 2021-22, the State plans to provide tap water connections to 30 lakh households.

In the meeting NJJM team emphasized the need for speedy implementation, assuring quality of works, effective community contribution and advised the State to include the provision of grey-water management through convergence in the water supply schemes as it’s a very important component of Jal Jeevan Mission.

To ensure safe tap water to children in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres in the country, tap water is to be provided in learning centres for drinking, cooking mid-day meal, hand washing and in toilets. 58,363 schools (67%) and 28,959 anganwadi centres (54%) in Rajasthan have been provided tap water supply in their premises. In the 31st SLSSC meeting, proposals for providing 2,885 schools and 418 anganwadi centres have been approved. The State has been urged to ensure tap water supply in remaining schools and AWCs at the earliest.