Budget 2024: Mere 0.5% boost to department of drinking water and sanitation

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has received a budgetary allocation of Rs 77,390.68 crs 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 cr 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 cr, a marginal rise from the revised estimate of Rs 69,846.31 cr 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.

Additionally, the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS) has been allocated Rs 95 cr, a huge rise from the Rs 3 cr it got in the last revised estimate.

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), which focuses on maintaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and enhancing waste management in rural areas, has been allocated Rs 7,192 cr.

This allocation remains consistent with the budget for the previous fiscal year and continues to support sanitation efforts nationwide.

The budget also includes significant funding for water supply and sanitation at Rs 64,302.85 cr, an increase from the previous year's Rs 64,138.41 cr.

For economic services, the budget includes Rs 35.78 cr for the Secretariat and capital outlay on general economic services. This is an increase from Rs 32.65 cr in the revised budget, indicating a focus on enhancing administrative and infrastructural capacities.

Additional allocations include Rs 7,632.19 cr for Northeast India, aimed at improving water and sanitation facilities in these regions.

Grants-in-aid to state governments have been set at Rs 5,169.86 cr, while grants to Union Territories are allocated at Rs 250 cr.