The Budget Battle over Water: Jal Jeevan Mission Faces a Crunch

🧭 Thematic Focus: Governance & Infrastructure
📚 Mapped to:

• GS Paper II: Government Policies and Interventions
• GS Paper III: Infrastructure – Water Supply
  ✍️ Essay Links:
• “Water Security and Federal Responsibilities in India”
• “Public Participation in Infrastructure Planning”

🚿 The Grand Vision

Launched in 2019 by PM Narendra Modi, the Jal Jeevan Mission aimed to ensure “Har Ghar Jal”—functional household tap connections for 16 crore rural homes by 2024. The goal was simple but powerful: bring dignity, hygiene, and convenience to rural India.

As of now, over 12.17 crore households have been reached—75% of the target. The mission has been extended to 2028 to complete the remaining connections.

💰 The Budget Blow

The Ministry of Jal Shakti requested ₹2.79 lakh crore more to finish the mission.

But the Expenditure Finance Committee recommended just ₹1.51 lakh crore, slashing the request by 46%.

📉 This means over ₹1.25 lakh crore of financial burden may now fall on states—many already strained.

🧾 Why the Cut?

• Inflation and cost overruns
• Alleged inflated work contracts in some states
• Works worth ₹32,000+ crore pending approval
• Earlier overspending: ₹8.07 lakh crore of schemes approved between 2019–2024, against an initial ₹3.6 lakh crore allocation

📌 What’s at Stake?

• Four crore rural homes still wait for tap water
• Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh may face ₹50,000 crore shortfall
• Jan Bhagidari (public participation) is vital for long-term sustainability
• Future funding relies on fresh MoUs with states to ensure transparency and accountability

🧩 A Broader Picture

This funding bottleneck isn’t just about pipes and pumps—it’s about equity, rural transformation, and the state’s role in enabling basic dignity through water access.

As the Centre and states negotiate new financial equations, the mission’s success will hinge on accountability, clarity in implementation, and sustained public engagement.

🌿 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk

“Sometimes, what is withheld from the roots is not water, but willpower.” 🌱
Let not delay in flow become a drought in trust.