Odisha to get Rs.3,323 Crore Central Grant under Jal Jeevan Mission

Bhubaneswar: July 11: Centre granted Rs.3,323.42 Crore to Odisha under Jaj Jeevan Mission in the year 2021-22. This was 812.15 crore in the year 2020-21.

Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while approving this four-fold increase in allocation has assured full assistance to the State for making provision of tap water supply in every rural home by March, 2024.

To support Odisha in its endeavor to execute the annual plan for 2021-22, Central allocation has been increased four-fold.

With unspent balance of Rs. 10.93 Crore and matching State’s share of Rs. 3,253 Crore, in all Rs. 6,596 Crore is available for water supply work in the State in 2021-22. Thus, there is no shortage of fund availability.

In his letter to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has emphasized that the work of providing tap connections should start in all the villages so that the state can provide tap water supply to every household by March, 2024.

On 15^th August, 2019, at the time of launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 3.10 lakh (3.63%) households had tap water connections. Since then, 22.84 lakh households in the State have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, in Odisha, out of a total of 85.66 lakh households, now 25.95 lakh households (30.3%) have tap water supply.In 2021-22, State has planned to provide tap water connections to 21.31 lakh households, 22.53 lakh tap water connections in the year 2022-23 and 18.87 lakh tap water connections in 2023-24 to achieve tap water supply for every rural household.

To enable PRIs to manage water supply and ensure improved sanitation in villages, in 2021-22, Rs. 1,002 Crore has been allocated to Odisha as 15^th Finance Commission tied grant for water & sanitation to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs. There is an assured funding of Rs. 5,280 Crore for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26. This huge investment in rural areas of Odisha, will accelerate economic activities and also boost rural economy. It will create new employment opportunities in villages.