Centre leans on UP in view of forthcoming Assembly election

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 13

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In view of the forthcoming crucial Assembly elections in the BJP-ruled State of Uttar Pradesh, the Centre has leaned on the state government to accelerate the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

This is on the heels of it increasing the central allocation for JJM implementation in the State by a four-fold in 2021-22 over the last year.

The allocation for this year has been jacked to Rs 10,870.50 crore while approving the State’s Annual Action Plan for JJM’s implementation.

In a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has urged the state to fast track the implementation of the project.

The JJM is a pet project of Prime Minister Natendra Modi who had coined the slogan “Har Ghar Jal”.

This Central project aims to provide piped water to every rural household in the country by 2024. It is implemented by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry in cooperation with the states.

The Centre has set a fresh target to provide tap water supply to 78 lakhs rural households—one third of the remaining households—in Uttar Pradesh during the current financial year.

The State has also been asked to start ground work on water supply projects/ schemes in more than 60 thousand villages this year.

The state has also been asked to accelerate piped water projects in Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal (parched areas of the state) and for review of their implementation at the level of Chief Minister.

In Uttar Pradesh, there are 2.63 crore households in 97 thousand villages, out of which presently 30.04 lakh (11.3 per cent) households have tap water supply in their homes.