Jal Jeevan Mission: Projects worth Rs 1.91 lakh crore underway, says Shekhawat

New Delhi: Work is underway in projects worth Rs 1.91 lakh crore under the flagship ''Jal Jeevan Mission'', which seeks to provide drinking water to every rural household in the country, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Responding to Monday's discussion on the working of the Jal Shakti Ministry, Shekhawat said the Centre was in touch with the states for effective implementation of the projects and lashed out at the Congress for "smiling at the plight of people" facing acute water crisis during its regime.

Terming the scenario challenging, Shekhawat said a slew of steps were initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he understood the plight, pain and sufferings of the people.

"Water crisis can have a negative impact on the GDP by six percent," the Jal Shakti minister said, and added that India''s water requirement would double by 2030 and grow four times by 2050.

He said a Jal Shakti ministry campaign would be launched on March 22 in 700 districts, adding, "The prime minister has fixed 2024 as the target for water to every home."

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 (Modi can make it possible)," he added.

Jal Jeevan Mission is 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. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had on Monday slammed the government for not utilising the allocated funds for different projects and programmes in the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Recalling his childhood days in Jaisalmer, where he was born, Shekhawat said women used to carry water on their heads for miles, and added that India has 18 per cent of the world's total area but barely four per cent of its potable water.

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"India has many challenges. The dangers of climate change are being felt across the world, climate change has arrived. Rainfall patterns have changed," he said.

Shekhawat said with the initiatives of the Centre from remote areas in Leh and Ladakh to Jaisalmer and Saurashtra, people were getting potable water at home. "Tanker mafia in Kutch and Saurashtra were active earlier, I am sure that the mafia is known to Digvijaya Singh. Narendra Modi became chief minister of Gujarat in 2001, and if anyone worked to plug the shortage of water, it was Modiji," he said. Shekhawat said about 2.5 lakh representatives in gram sabhas were sent personalised letters by Prime Minister Modi to conserve water, and meetings were held in two lakh villages.

"As many as 256 districts were identified, officials were sent to these districts and were apprised on afforestation, water conservation etc," he said.

He also attacked opposition-ruled states for not utilising funds sent by the Centre.

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