NEW DELHI: Continuing with its mega infrastructure push, the Centre on Tuesday approved the extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission up to December 2028 with an outlay of nearly Rs 8.7 lakh crore and two four-laning of railway lines with an estimated cost of Rs 4,474 crore.
Briefing media after the meeting of the Union Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said an approval has been given to the Jal Shakti Ministry’s proposal to restructure the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission from infrastructure creation to service delivery.
“The focus is now being shifted on structural reforms, as the Cabinet has approved the enhancement of total outlay to Rs 8.7 lakh crore with total central assistance of Rs 3.59 lakh crore,” the minister said.
“A uniform national digital framework, ‘Sujalam Bharat’, shall be instituted under which every village shall be assigned a unique Sujal Gaon/Service Area ID. This will digitally map the complete drinking water supply system from source to tap,” he said.
The Union Cabinet also approved the proposal to grant International Airport status to the Madurai Airport in Tamil Nadu, Vaishnaw said.
The CCEA also gave its nod to the development of a 4-lane corridor from the Badnawar-Petlawad-Thandla-Timarwani section of NH-752D, having a length of 80.45 kilometres with a total capital cost of Rs 3,839.42 crore. The approved corridor will provide connectivity from Ujjain to the Timrawani interchange at the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the minister said.
It has also approved two projects of the Ministry of Railways with a cost of Rs 4,474 crore. These projects include Sainthia-Pakur 4th line and the Santragachi-Kharagpur 4th line.