Rs 1.9 lakh crore worth Jal Jeevan Mission projects under way: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said that a total of Rs 1.91 lakh crore worth of projects under the centrally-sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in different parts of the country.

Replying to a discussion on the working of the Jal Shakti Ministry in Rajya Sabha, Shekhawat said the Centre was in touch with the states for effective implementation of the projects, and he lashed out at the Congress for "smiling at the plight of people" facing acute water crisis during its regime.

Jal Jeevan Mission, a Rs 3.6-lakh crore flagship programme of the Narendra Modi government, aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households by 2024. The mission was launched in August 2019.

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Terming the scenario challenging, Shekhawat said a Jal Shakti Ministry campaign would be launched on March 22 in 700 districts.

Attacking Opposition members for raising questions over the intent of the government, Shekhawat pointed out that more than 3.77 crore households were provided tap water connections under the mission. "Modi hai to mumkin hai (If Modi is there, anything is possible)," he added.

Tapped water connection rose by 20 per cent in the entire country after Jal Jeevan Mission launched, but in West Bengal, it was only three per cent, Shekhawat said.