Gajendra Shekhawat holds meet with state ministers over Jal Jeevan Mission implementation

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday held a meeting with state ministers and officials in-charge of water departments, and discussed the implementation of the Centre's flagship Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connection to all rural household by 2024.

West Bengal, whose performance over the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission was termed as "dismal" by the ministry last week, did not attend the meeting, the minister told reporters.

Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb were present at the meeting.

"Our political commitments could be different but the enthusiasm the states have shown in implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission is extraordinary," he said.

Shekhawat said since the mission was launched in August last year, 2.55 crore households have been provided tap water connections. "Despite the pandemic, states have performed well," he said.

The Minister said that the Goa has already achieved the target of providing tap water connections to all rural household. Telangana, Puducherry, Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are among the states that have shown a good pace in implementation of the mission.

He said the 15th Finance Commission has allocated Rs 30,375 crore as 'tied grant' in 2020-21 for critical sectors like supply of drinking water, rain water harvesting and water recycling. Rural local bodies are being urged to utilise the grant on water and sanitation activities in villages, Shekhawat said.

The total mission outlay is Rs 3.6 lakh crore, of which the central share is 2.08 lakh crore.