Union Cabinet approves extension of Jal Jeevan Mission, elevated road connecting Jewar airport to Faridabad

Ashwini Vaishnaw (file image)

The Union cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the Jal Jeevan Mission with an approved outlay of Rs 8.7 lakh crore.

Along with the extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the cabinet took a slew of decisions relating to infrastructure and big-ticket projects.

The cabinet declared the Madurai airport as International airport. Along with it, the Santragachi – Kharagpur 4th line has been approved with an outlay of Rs 2,905 crore. The Sainthia – Pakur 4th line has also been green lighted with an outlay of Rs 1,569 crore.

The cabinet has decided to restructure the Jal Jeevan Mission under JJM 2.0, aiming to correct distortions while building a locally accountable governance structure for the scheme that has already made big headway.

The revamp will shift responsibility for single-village schemes to Gram Panchayats, link funds to actual water delivery and route operations and maintenance (O&M) money directly to villages. State governments will handle large regional projects.

The revamped mission will also introduce stronger water quality surveillance. Gram Panchayats will receive field testing kits, and at least five women in each village will be trained to test drinking water.

Launched in 2019 to provide functional household tap connections to all rural homes, the Jal Jeevan Mission has expanded coverage from about 17% of rural households to more than 80%. However, officials say the next phase must address weaknesses in implementation, including corruption, inflated contracting practices and a system that rewarded pipeline construction rather than assured water supply.

Additionally, the cabinet also approved the elevated road connecting Jewar airport to Faridabad section with an outlay of Rs 3,631 crore.