Centre has allocated Rs 8 lakh crore for Jal Jeevan Mission implementation: Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources chief Rajiv Pratap Rudy

Speaking to the media, he said the committee is actively reviewing multiple aspects of water resources, including drinking water supply, irrigation, groundwater depletion, floods, dams and disaster management.

"This is a powerful committee as it deals with drinking water and water resources across the country. The scope is wide. On drinking water, the Prime Minister's strong initiative--the Jal Jeevan Mission--aims to provide safe water to every household. The Government of India has allocated Rs 8 lakh crore for its implementation nationwide," Rudy said.

He added that Keralam has performed well in earlier reviews and is expected to benefit further from the mission.

"Keralam has performed well in earlier reviews, and it is expected to benefit further from this mission. Swachh Bharat is also linked, alongside wider water resource issues such as floods, dams, and irrigation. Around 80% of water is consumed in irrigation, and 20% for drinking. Reviews cover availability, groundwater depletion, contamination, and adequacy of water for future generations," he said.

Rudy further said that the committee examines data from multiple agencies to assess water availability and disaster preparedness across states.

"The committee studies groundwater, irrigation, and disasters like landslides and flash floods. Reports come from the Central Water Commission, flood control authorities, and state disaster management forces, covering all aspects of water in Kerala and across India," he added.

The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019, with the ambitious goal of providing tap water supply to every rural household by 2024. At the time of its inception, only 3.23 crore (17%) of rural households had tap water connections. (ANI)