Karnataka clears 120 water schemes worth Rs 11k crore

Karnataka has given approvals to 120 multi-village water supply schemes that are estimated to cost Rs 11,542 crore, which are a part of the government's rush to provide functional tap connections to every rural household.

These new multi-village water supply schemes come under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), an ambitious project that is seeing Karnataka provide an average 5,500 functional household tap connections daily.

At present, Karnataka has covered 45.25 lakh rural households against the targeted 97.91 lakh. This is a coverage of 46.22 per cent, not very far behind the national average of 46.38 per cent. So far, the government has spent Rs 1,835 crore, according to data.

In terms of coverage, Karnataka is ahead of Tamil Nadu (40.38 per cent), Kerala (38.15 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (37.80 per cent). But the state is behind Gujarat (91.18 per cent), Maharashtra (67.85 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (51.82 per cent). Six states have achieved 100 per cent coverage - Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Diu & Daman and Haryana.

The Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department said the new 120 schemes will cover 96.67 lakh people in 21.85 lakh households. "These schemes have been approved in principle. Estimation and actual approvals are in the process," RDPR principal secretary L K Atheeq said.

"Under JJM, the state is doubling its efforts to increase the coverage of households with tap connections, while ensuring that the water sources are sustainable," Atheeq said. "Wherever groundwater is unreliable or water quality is affected, a number of multi-village water supply schemes from perennial river sources are planned."

The JJM envisages provision of a minimum of 55 litres per capita per day of water. To meet this criterion, officials are wary of finding a sustainable source to provide functional tap water supply in Kolar, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts. Challenges persist even in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Chitradurga, Davangere and parts of Haveri, officials say.

Meanwhile, the Jal Shakti ministry has agreed to extend the JJM deadline till 2024 for Karnataka. Earlier, the ministry wanted Karnataka to meet targets by 2023 when the Assembly elections are scheduled.

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