New Delhi: The Jal Shakti Ministry was on Thursday allocated Rs 98,418 crore in the interim budget for 2024-25 with its flagship Jal Jeevan Mission getting a 71 percent share. The allocation for the ministry in the 2023-24 budget was Rs 96,549 crore. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DoDWS) has been allocated Rs 77,390 crore in the budget, a minimal increase of 0.4 percent from 2023-24.

Out of this, the share of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water by 2024 to all households in rural India, is Rs 69,926 crore. (Also Read: Budget 2024: Modi Government Breaking/Tweaking Trends; Will This Budget Spring A Surprise? Read)

Out of the 19.26 crore rural households in the country, 14.22 crore have been provided tap water connection under the mission till now. The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), which was launched in 2014 and comes under the DoDWS, has been allocated Rs 7,192 crore for 2024-25. (Also Read: Explainer: What Next For Paytm’s Banking Arm After RBI Clampdown?)

The same amount was allocated to it in 2023-24 as well. Under this mission, Open Defecation Free (ODF) status has been achieved for rural areas, and it is now being implemented to ensure the sustainability of the ODF status and cover all villages with solid and liquid waste management arrangements.

In 2023-24, Rs 77,032 crore was allocated to the DoDWS.The Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation has been allocated Rs 21,028 crore for 2024-25, a 7.74 percent increase from 2023-24. It was Rs 19,516 crore the last time.

The National Ganga Plan, which comes under the department for implementing schemes and projects for the Ganga River and its tributaries, has been allocated Rs 3,500 crore.

The Central Water Commission has been allocated Rs 391 crore, the Central Water and Power Research Station Rs 75 crore, and the Central Ground Water Board Rs 310 crore. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna has been allocated Rs 2,500 crore for 2014-25.