In the Union Budget for 2025-26, the Indian central government has allocated Rs 74,226 crore to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. A significant portion of this funding, Rs 67,000 crore, is dedicated to the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households. This represents a substantial increase in funding for the mission compared to the revised estimates of Rs 22,694 crore for 2024-25, although it is slightly less than the original budget allocation of Rs 77,390.68 crore for the entire department in 2024-25.
The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has received an allocation of Rs 25,276.83 crore, up from the revised estimates of Rs 21,640.88 crore. Within this, the Namami Gange Mission-II, focused on cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganges River, has been allocated Rs 3,400 crore, an increase from Rs 3,000 crore in the previous year.
The Jal Jeevan Mission, the government's flagship program for providing tap water connections to every rural household, has seen a significant funding boost, rising to Rs 67,000 crore from the revised estimates of Rs 22,694 crore for 2024-25. The government's focus for this mission remains on service delivery, emphasising the regular and quality supply of water. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, highlighted that 15 crore rural households, representing 80% of India's rural population, have already gained access to potable tap water through the JJM.
To achieve 100% coverage, the mission has been extended until 2028 with an increased total outlay. The Finance Minister also stated that future efforts under the mission will concentrate on the quality of infrastructure, the operation and maintenance of rural piped water supply schemes through the Jan Bhagidari scheme, and that separate Memoranda of Understanding will be signed with states and Union Territories to ensure sustainable and citizen-centric water service delivery.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), focused on maintaining open defecation free status and implementing solid and liquid waste management systems in villages, has been allocated Rs 7,192 crore, consistent with the previous year's allocation.
Other notable allocations within the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation include Rs 80 crore for information, education, and communication activities under the JJM, Rs 13.50 crore for mission management, and Rs 89.53 crore for the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation.
A new provision of Rs 341.70 crore has been introduced for the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), a scheme designed to provide water and sanitation facilities to vulnerable tribal communities.
The Budget also includes Rs 5,936 crore for the Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh, which aims to provide both drinking water and irrigation facilities. Additional allocations include Rs 1,780 crore for the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a groundwater management scheme, and Rs 509 crore for groundwater regulation initiatives. (The Economic Times)
Rajasthan Court demands Water Policy
Rajasthan's High Court has ordered the state government to present its drinking water prioritisation policy within four weeks. This directive comes in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) arguing that drinking water from the Bisalpur Dam should be given priority over irrigation. The court, hearing the PIL and taking suo motu notice of the state's water concerns, pressed the government for answers.
While the Advocate General stated that water distribution is a policy matter and that a new policy is under development, the court, noting the delayed Eastern Rajasthan canal project, stressed its commitment to ensuring drinking water access for all. The PIL specifically argues that Bisalpur Dam water should be reserved primarily for drinking, releasing surplus water for agriculture only after drinking water needs for Jaipur, Ajmer, and Tonk are met. (The Times of India)
Nainital Lake pollution sparks NGT intervention
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has responded to growing concerns about pollution in Nainital Lake by forming a joint committee to investigate the matter. The committee will consist of officials from the Uttarakhand State Pollution Control Board, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the Kumaon commissioner, who will serve as the nodal authority.
This action follows a petition filed on October 14, 2024, by activist Hemant Singh Goniya, which highlighted the issue of untreated sewage and garbage flowing into the lake, Nainital's sole water source. Goniya's petition asserts that over 40 British-era drains empty into the lake, leading to health problems like diarrhoea and jaundice for local residents, particularly during the monsoon season. The petition also emphasizes the lake's delicate ecosystem and its importance as a habitat for various animal species.
While the Nainital district administration maintains that daily cleaning of the lake is conducted, and previously reported removing over 90 quintals of waste in six months during 2020, the NGT has taken cognizance of the situation. Goniya’s petition has been registered under the NGT Act, 2010, in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines established in the 2022 case of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs Ankita Sinha and others. The NGT's intervention reflects the seriousness of the pollution problem and the potential threat it poses to both the environment and public health in this popular tourist destination. (The Times of India)
NGT uncovers groundwater extraction "scam" in Paharganj, demands accountability
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has exposed a fraudulent system of unregulated groundwater extraction in Paharganj, Delhi, disguised as a "voluntary disclosure scheme" (VDS). The NGT's investigation revealed that despite being advertised, the VDS was never formally established, allowing widespread, unchecked groundwater use by hotels and guesthouses.
Activist Varun Gulati's petition brought to light the fact that while 442 of Paharganj's 536 establishments extract groundwater, many did so under the auspices of this non-existent VDS, thus avoiding proper metering and payment of extraction charges. The NGT, in its January 29th order, highlighted the admission by the Delhi government's counsel that no formal VDS existed beyond preliminary meeting minutes.
The tribunal, led by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, stressed the gravity of the situation, noting the decade-long, unregulated extraction facilitated by authorities under the pretense of a non-existent scheme. The NGT has directed the chief secretary to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, focusing on quantifying the financial losses incurred, assessing the environmental damage caused, determining the impact on the area's groundwater resources, and identifying officials responsible for this oversight. The inquiry aims to bring accountability to a system that allowed rampant, unregulated groundwater extraction under the guise of a voluntary scheme that never actually existed. (The Times of India)
This is a roundup of policy updates from the 16th of January 2025 to 2nd February 2025. Read our news updates here