The Centre has allocated nearly Rs 7,000 crore to West Bengal for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 in a four-fold rise from last year's budget, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Tuesday.
The central allocation for 2019-20 was Rs 995.33 crore and was increased to Rs 1,614.18 crore in 2020-21, the ministry said.
"Due to slow implementation and resultant poor utilisation of funds, the state could not draw the full allocated amount.
Now, the state has planned to implement Jal Jeevan Mission with speed to provide tap water connections to 43.
10 lakh rural homes in 2020-21 and 52.
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74 lakh FHTCs (functional household tap connections) in 2022-23 and 2023-24,” the ministry said.
To achieve these desirable targets, the state has to speed up the implementation by four-fold, the ministry stressed.
“To provide every household with assured tap water supply on a regular and long-term basis, the Central Government allocated Rs 6,998. 97 crore grant to West Bengal under Jal Jeevan Mission for the year 2021-22,” the ministry said.
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Unhappy over the pace of work under the Jal Jeevan Mission in West Bengal, the Jal Shakti Ministry said the state has shown “dismal performance” in its implementation.
Last month, the Centre had announced Rs 3,410 crore for Gujarat, Rs 5,117 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs 1,605 crore to eight northeastern states under the mission.
