Rs 21,518 cr for potable water, sanitation

Tribune News Service,

New Delhi, February 1

The Union Budget for 2020-21 has proposed allocation of about Rs 21,518 crore for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Ministry of Jal Shakti, an increase of last budgetary allocation ( 2019-20) of about Rs 3,158 crore. On the other hand, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry gets allocation of about Rs 8,960 crore - an increase by about Rs 1,442 crore.

The allocation for the component "National Ganga Plan" which was about Rs 353 crore, has been increased to Rs 800 crore under the Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation department.

Also, allocation has been increased for River Basin Management from Rs 161 crore to Rs 200 crore, but the allocation for "National River Conservation Plan" has been scaled down to about Rs 1,200 crore to about Rs 840 crore.

With regard Drinking Water and Sanitation department, the major allocation for the Centre’s flagship programme — Jal Jivan Mission/ National Rural Drinking Rural Drinking Water Mission -- is Rs 11,218 crore, marking an increase by about Rs 1,802 crore.

The allocation has been increased under "Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) from last year's about Rs 8,333 crore to about Rs 9,994 crore.

The proposed allocation for about Rs 8,960 crore for Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation which is an increase on last Budget by about Rs 1,442 crore.

Water-stressed districts in focus

• The government has proposed comprehensive measures for 100 water-stressed districts
• This initiative will be part of the Jal Jivan mission, which will have funds to the tune of Rs3.06 lakh crore
• The funds will be used for augmenting rain water harvesting, water desalination, recharging of lakes as well as augmenting existing water resources

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