Union minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has reiterated that budget will not be an issue for execution of works under the Jal Jeevan mission. Appreciating the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for facilitating water connection for one rupee under the mission, he said that this was a unique initiative in the country. He said this while reviewing work under the mission in Uttarakhand with the CM through video conferencing on Tuesday.
Shekhawat said that effective execution of this scheme can make Uttarakhand a model state. To prevent budget shortage for this scheme, the 15th Finance Commission allocated Rs 60,000 crore to the Panchayati Raj department of which Rs 30,000 crore will be spent on schemes related to drinking water. Water connections have been provided in 2.25 crore homes in India during the past one year, he added.
The CM said that strict instructions have been issued to officials for achieving the target of providing tap water in each home by 2022. They have been directed to facilitate 1,500 connections per day. He said that the provision of water connection for poor families at one rupee instead of Rs 2,350 has been appreciated by the public. By December 25, all the remaining homes in Dehradun and Bageshwar districts will be provided tap water, said Rawat.
