Minor rise for water and sanitation Budget; Ganga funding jumps by 55%

New Delhi: The total Budget allocated for the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation has surged to Rs 30,233.83 crore, 55 per cent up from last year’s allotment of Rs 19,516.92 crore. The revised Budget for 2024-25 shows a sharp rise in the allocations, particularly for major irrigation projects and the Namami Gange Mission-II.

While announcing the Budget on Tuesday, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a comprehensive financial support plan of Rs 11,500 crore to enhance flood control measures and irrigation projects across several states.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has received a Budgetary allocation of Rs 77,390.68 crores for the fiscal year 2024-2025.This figure reflects a minimal increase of only 0.5 per cent from the revised estimate of Rs 77,032.65 crore announced in Budget 2023-2024. A substantial portion of this financial year’s allotment for the Drinking Water and Sanitation department is directed towards the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which received Rs 69,926.65 crore, a marginal rise from the revised estimate of Rs 69,846.31 crore in 2023-2024. This flagship programme aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024, focusing on ensuring regular and adequate water supply.