Union Budget 2025: Centre allocates Rs 74,226 crore for drinking water and sanitation

Budget 2025-26 was tabled on Saturday by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In this, the Centre has allocated Rs 74,226 crore for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, with most of it allotted to the Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide tap water connections to rural households.

The allocation marked a substantial rise from the revised estimates of Rs 29,916 crore for 2024-25 for the department. However, the allocation is lower than the Rs 77,390.68 crore originally earmarked for the department in the Budget for 2024-25.

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been allocated Rs 25,276.83 crore, an increase from Rs 21,640.88 crore from the revised estimates.

Allocation under Namami Gange Mission-II

Under the Namami Gange Mission-II, Rs 3,400 crore has been earmarked for cleaning and rejuvenating the river, up from Rs 3,000 crore last



year.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the flagship programme of the Centre aimed at providing tap water connections to every rural household, has been allocated Rs 67,000 crore, marking a significant increase from the revised estimates of Rs 22,694 crore in 2024-25.

The focus remains on service delivery, ensuring regular and quality water supply. Presenting her eighth consecutive budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that under JJM, 15 crore households, representing 80 per cent of India's rural population, have been provided access to potable tap water.

"To achieve 100 per cent coverage, I am pleased to announce extension of this mission till 2028 with an enhanced total outlay," she said.

The finance minister added that the mission's focus will be on quality of infrastructure and operation and maintenance of rural piped water supply schemes through the Jan Bhagidari scheme.