NEW DELHI: Ensuring India’s water security and providing access to safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians is a priority of the government and the government is committed to Jal Jeevan Mission to provide drinking water with all rural households by 2024, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Presenting the budget, she said that a new ministry “Jal Shakti Mantralaya” to manage water resources and water supply in an integrated and holistic manner with the State Governments to ensure Har Ghar Jal (piped water supply) to all rural households by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
“A major step in this direction has been the constitution of the Jal Shakti Mantralaya, integrating the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. This new Mantralaya will look at the management of our water resources and water supply,” she said.
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This Mission, under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, will focus on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level, including the creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse in agriculture.
The Jal Jeevan Mission will converge with other Central and State Government Schemes to achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply management across the country.