Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday approved the allocation of Rs 10,180 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 to Rajasthan, a four-fold increase from Rs 2,522 Crore allocated in 2020-21.
"To assist the State of Rajasthan, to achieve 'Har Ghar Jal', Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat approved Central allocation of Rs 10,180 Crore for Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22, a four-fold increase from Rs 2,522 Crore allocated in 2020-21," said Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Of 1.01 crore rural households in the State, 11.74 lakh (11.5 per cent) households had tap water supply as of August 15, 2019, when Jal Jeevan Mission was launched.
"Since the launch of the mission, 9.65 lakh households (9.5 per cent) have been provided tap water connections in the State of Rajasthan," it said adding that 21.39 (21.1 per cent) lakh rural homes in the State are getting tap water supply in their homes.
In 2021-22, the State plans to provide tap water connections to about 30 lakh rural households.
Rajasthan is the most water-deficient State in the country with a very short and scanty spell of monsoons.
The ministry further said that the Jal Jeevan Mission is doing the herculean task of removing the drudgery of women leading to improve their lives and enhance the ease of living.
Under JJM, Gram Panchayats and its sub-committees play the lead role in planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of their in-village water supply schemes.
In 2021-22, the Central fund of Rs 10,180 Crore has been allocated to the State of Rajasthan to implement the mission in the State. With the opening balance of Rs 864 Crore and matching State share, the total outlay available with State is Rs 21,225 Crore for provision of tap water supply in this financial year. Thus, there is no shortage of fund availability.
"In 2021-22, Rs 1,712 Crore has been allocated to Rajasthan as 15th Finance Commission tied grant for water and sanitation to rural local bodies/PRIs. There is assured funding of Rs 9,032 Crore for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26," it added.
It further said that this huge investment in rural areas of Rajasthan, will accelerate economic activities and boost the rural economy. It will create new employment opportunities in villages.
"Despite lockdown and disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in the last 27 months, more than 5.44 crore rural households in the country have been provided tap water connections. As on date, more than 8.67 Crore (45.15 per cent) rural households have tap water supply in their homes," the ministry said.
The government of India is providing all-out support to States to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024.
It added that for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, there is no dearth of funds.
( With inputs from ANI )
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