Piped water to rural households by 2024: FM

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government plans to ensure piped water supply to all rural households by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

"Ensuring India's water security and providing access to safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians is a priority of the government," said Sitharaman while presenting the Budget for 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha.

The government has allocated Rs 10,000 core for the National Rural Drinking Water Mission in the 2019-20 Budget as against Rs 5,500 crore in the 2018-19 (Revised) Budget. 

She said the Jal Jeevan Mission will focus on integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level, including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household waste water for reuse in agriculture. 

The Minister said that 1,592 Blocks spread across 256 districts which were critical and over exploited had been identified for the Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

Besides using funds available under various schemes, the government will explore the possibility of using additional funds available under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for this purpose, Sitharaman said.

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has got Rs 8,245 crore in this Budget. It got Rs 7,612 crore in in the 2018-19 (Revised) Budget. IANS