Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : To translate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of providing clean tap water to every household, Union Government has increased the Central allocation for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to Uttar Pradesh (UP) to Rs 10,870.50 Crore. In 2019-20, the Central Government allocated Rs. 1,206 Crore, which was increased to Rs 2,571 Crore in 2020-21. Thus, this year Central allocation for implementation of JJM in UP has increased four-fold.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, during his last meeting with the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, had assured to provide all assistance to the State to make provision of tap water supply to every rural home under JJM. During the review, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, assured that Uttar Pradesh government will ensure tap water connection to every rural home by 2024 as announced by PM Modi.
In UP, there are 2.63 Crore households in 97 thousand villages of which now 30.04 lakh (11.3%) households have tap water supply in their homes. Before the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 5.16 lakh (1.96%) household had tap water supply. In last 21 months, under JJM, the State has provided tap water supply to 24.89 lakh (9.45%) households. Despite this, there are about 2.33 Crore household without tap water supply in Uttar Pradesh, according to a PIB release.
In 2020-21, the allocation for UP was enhanced to Rs 2,571 Crore. With the opening balance of Rs 777 Crore, UP had assured availability of Rs.3,348 Crore of Central fund. The State Government could utilise only Rs. 2,053 from this fund.
In a letter to Chief Minister, UP, Union Jal Shakti Minister Shekhawat has urged the State to take necessary measure to accelerate the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and to provide tap water supply to one third of the remaining households, i.e. to 78 Lakhs rural households in UP this year. He also advised the State to start ground work on water supply projects/ schemes in more than 60 thousand villages this year.
In his letter, Union Minister Shekhawat has also urged the State to accelerate piped water projects in Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal and for review of their implementation at the level of Chief Minister. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation of piped water supply scheme for the rural areas of Bundelkhand Region (7 districts viz. Jhansi, Mahoba, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Banda and Chitrakoot) in February, 2019, and in November, 2020, for rural drinking water supply projects for Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts of Vindhyachal region. On completion, these projects will benefit 17.48 lakh households and 1.05 Crore people residing in 6,742 villages of the region.
With the Central allocation of Rs 10,870 Crore in 2021-22 and opening balance of Rs 466 Crore available with the State Government, and State’s matching share of 2021-22 and the shortfall of Rs 1,263 Crore in 2019-20 & 2020-21; the total assured fund available for the implementation of JJM in the State is about Rs 23,937 Crore.
Rs. 4,324 Crore in 2021-22 have been provided to Uttar Pradesh as 15th FC tied grant for water & sanitation to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs. There is an assured funding of Rs 22,808 Crore for water and sanitation for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26. This huge investment in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh will accelerate economic activities and also boost rural economy. It will create new employment opportunities in villages. Under the JJM, water quality-affected habitations, SC/ ST majority villages, SAGY villages, aspirational & JE/ AES affected districts in the State are priority areas.