GUWAHATI: The central government has extended the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) implementation process till 2028, with an increased budget allocation of ₹67,000 crore.
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This was announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, February 1, while presenting the Union Budget.
Presenting her eighth consecutive budget, Sitharaman highlighted the progress made under the scheme, stating that 15 crore households, covering 80 per cent of India's rural population, have reportedly been provided with access to potable tap water. “To achieve 100 per cent coverage, I am pleased to announce the extension of this mission till 2028 with an enhanced total outlay,” she said.
The finance minister emphasised that the focus of the mission will now shift towards the quality of infrastructure and the operation and maintenance of rural piped water supply schemes. This will be achieved through jan bhagidhari (people’s participation), ensuring community involvement in managing water resources.
Sitharaman also announced that separate Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed with states and union territories to guarantee sustainable and citizen-centric water service delivery.
Launched in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission was implemented to provide tap water connections to all rural households, and was earlier scheduled to be completed by 2024.
