Uttar Pradesh: Jal Jeevan Mission Approves Rs 1,882 Crore To Provide Tap Water Connections To Over Four Lakh Households

The Jal Jeevan Mission’s (JJM) State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) on Thursday (11 November) approved proposals submitted by the state worth Rs 1,882 crore for making provision of tap water connections in rural areas.

These schemes will cover a population of 39 lakh in 1,262 villages of 33 districts. In the said meeting, 735 schemes were approved by the committee. As per the approval, tap water connections are to be provided to 4.03 lakh rural households of the state.

As of date, 34 lakh (12.9 per cent) rural households out of 2.64 crores are getting tap water supply in their homes. In 2021-22, the state plans to provide tap water connections to 78 lakh households.

Under JJM, there is a provision for the constitution of the State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) for consideration and approval of schemes to be taken up for making provision of tap water supply to rural households. The SLSSC acts as a State-level Committee to consider water supply schemes/ projects, and a nominee of the National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Government of India is a member of the committee.

The National Jal Jeevan Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti has already released Rs 2,400 crore grant–in–aid to Uttar Pradesh during 2021-22.

In 2019-20, the Central Government had allocated Rs 1,206 Crore to Uttar Pradesh for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, which was increased to Rs. 2,571 Crore in 2020-21. This year’s Central allocation is Rs 10,870 crore.

Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while approving this four-fold increase in allocation in 2021-22, assured full assistance to the state for making provision of tap water supply in every rural home by 2024.

In Uttar Pradesh, there are 2.64 crore rural households in over 97 thousand villages, out of which now 34 lakh (12.87 per cent) households have tap water supply in their homes.

During the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 5.16 lakh (2 per cent) households had a tap water supply. In the last 26 months, despite disruptions faced during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, the State has provided tap water connection to 28.85 lakh (10.92 per cent) households. The state aims to make five districts ‘Har Ghar Jal’ in the current financial year.

To accelerate the pace of JJM implementation, National Jal Jeevan Mission has urged the State to take necessary measures to provide tap water supply to 78 lakh rural households in the State this year, for which the State plans to start water supply works in more than 60 thousand villages by December 2021.

“Including this year’s Central allocation of Rs 10,870 crore, the total assured fund available for the implementation of JJM in Uttar Pradesh is more than Rs 23,500 crore,” the Ministry of Jal Shakti said.

“Further, Rs 4,324 crore has been allocated to Uttar Pradesh as the 15th Finance Commission tied grants for water and sanitation to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs in 2021-22. There is assured funding of Rs 22,808 crore tied grant for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26,” it added.

This huge investment in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh will accelerate economic activities and also boost the rural economy. It will create income-generating opportunities in villages.