I-Day: PM announces Rs 3.5 lakh crore for Jal Jeevan Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that his government will spend Rs 3.5 lakh crore on its ambitious 'Jal Jeevan Mission' to give access to piped potable water to every rural household by 2024.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day, Modi stressed on the need of water conservation and said that his government is committed to ensuring that every household has access to tap water.

"The government has decided to strive forward with Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure tap water access to every household. We have resolved to speed more than 3.5 lakh crore for Jal Jeevan Mission," he said.

Modi said that the central and state governments will work together to achieve the goal.

The mission was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her first budget on July 5.

Modi said that his government will continue to work towards conservation of water and rainwater harvesting. "We are continuously working towards sensitising people about water conservation," he said.

Stressing on the need to intensify efforts for water conservation, Modi said that "we will have to do more than four times of what was done in the last 70 years for water conservation".

"The movement towards water conservation has to take place at the grassroots level. It cannot become a mere Government programme. People from all walks of life have to be integrated into this movement," Modi said.

Water conservation has been an important issue of Modi government's the second term, somewhat similar to what cleanliness was in his first tenure as Prime Minister.

On coming to power this year, Modi government formed a separate ministry -- Jal Shakti Ministry -- to consolidate efforts for water conservation and ensure safe water access to every citizen of the country.

Modi has announced several crucial campaigns of public importance from the ramparts of Red Fort including Swachch Bharat Mission and Ayushman Bharat Mission, in his first tenure as Prime Minister.