Centre allocate ₹5,968 crores to 15 States under Jal Jeevan Mission for FY 2021-22

For FY 2021-22, the Government of India has allocated ₹5,968 crore to 15 states for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. This is the first of four tranches to be published this fiscal year. Other 17 states and union territories (UTs) have been asked to submit proposals for the allocation of funds to the National Jal Jeevan Mission.

According to an official release from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, "93% of the Central fund allocated under Jal Jeevan Mission is to be used on growing water supply systems, 5% on support activities, and 2% on water quality control and surveillance activities."

The Government of India distributes Central funds based on the output in terms of tap water connections given in the States/UTs and the use of available Central and matching State funds.

Within 15 days of the Central fund being issued, the States must pass it, along with the corresponding State share, to a single Nodal Account. States must account for a matching State share to ensure that funds are available to the implementing agencies, with a proper spending plan in place to ensure that expenditures are fairly distributed over the year.

The budgetary allocation for Jal Jeevan Mission has been increased significantly to ₹50,011 crore in 2021-22 as a top priority of the government. In addition, PRIs will be able to access tied-grants worth ₹26,940 crore from the 15th Finance Commission for 'water and sanitation facilities.' In addition, the fund is available via a state-matching programme and externally funded programmes. As a result, more than ₹1 lakh crore is expected to be invested in the country in 2021-22 to ensure that rural households have access to safe drinking water. This form of assessment is expected to continue over the next three years in order to achieve the 'Har Ghar Jal' goal.

This increased budgetary allocation would have a significant effect on the rural economy in terms of creating jobs, both qualified and unskilled, for the construction, service, and maintenance of drinking water supply facilities, as well as greywater treatment and reuse. It will fuel major infrastructure-building activities in the villages, resulting in productive properties. When work in the remaining villages begins, an increase in demand for engines, faucets, taps, pipes, and other items will give the manufacturing sector a significant boost. To build and operate in-village water supply systems, village residents are being trained to prepare a cadre of masons, plumbers, pump operators, and other professionals, which will create a large number of job opportunities.

The Jal Jeevan Mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th August 2019, with the aim of providing guaranteed tap water to every rural home by 2024. It is being implemented in collaboration with States/UTs.

Despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, over ₹4.17 crore (21.76%) households now have access to safe drinking water. Rural households now have access to potable water via taps in ₹7.41 crore (38.62 %).

Goa, Telangana, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Puducherry have all been designated as 'Har Ghar Jal' states or union territories. Furthermore, the Jal Jeevan Mission ensured tap water supply to every rural family living in 61 districts and over 89 thousand villages, adhering to the maxim of equality and inclusion, i.e., "no one in the village is left out."

States/UTs are now competing with one another to ensure that every household in the country has access to clean drinking water, with the aim of ensuring that "no one in the village is left out."