4-fold hike in Central grant to Karnataka for drinking water supply

Karnataka plans to ensure tap water supply in every rural home by 2023

Women collecting water in a village in Karnataka.

In order to provide clean tap water to households, the Centre has increased four-fold grant to Karnataka under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the year 2021-22 to ₹5,008.79 crore from ₹1,189.40 crore in 2020-21.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat approved the increase in allocation to ensure tap water supply in every rural home in Karnataka by 2023.

In Karnataka, out of 91.19 lakh households, 29.96 lakh households (32.86%) have been provided with tap water connections. On August 15, 2019, at the time of launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, 24.51 lakh (26.88%) households had tap water supply. Since then, 5.44 lakh households in Karnataka have been provided tap water connections, according to an official release.

Karnataka plans to provide tap water connections to 25.17 lakh households in 2021-22, 17.93 lakh tap water connections in 2022-23 and remaining 19.93 lakh tap water connections in 2023-24 to achieve tap water supply for every rural household.

With this enhanced Central allocation, opening balance of ₹177.16 crore, and the State’s matching share of ₹5,215.93 crore, a total outlay of ₹10,401.88 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission is available for water supply work in the State for 2021-22.

In 2021-22, ₹1,426 crore has been allocated to Karnataka as the 15th Finance Commission tied grant for water and sanitation to rural local bodies.