PM Modi announces Rs 3.5 lakh crore under Jal Jeevan Mission for ambitious 'har ghar jal' project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first Independence Day speech of the second term, announced the allocations of Rs 3.5 lakh crore under Jal Jeevan Mission, towards realising the mission of Har Ghar Jal (water in every home). The Prime Minister further asked all citizens to adopt the water conservation, the way they adopted the Swachh Bharat campaign.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day, PM Modi said, “The government has decided to strive forward with Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure tap water access to every household. We have resolved to speed more than 3.5 lakh crore for Jal Jeevan Mission." He further said that said that the central and state governments will work together to achieve this goal.

The mission aims to provide piped potable water to every rural household by 2024. 

Stressing on water conservation at grass root levels, the PM said that people need "to do more than four times of what was done in the last 70 years for water conservation".

Water conservation has been one of the primary causes of the Modi government. Jal Shakti Ministry, a separate ministry on water was formed in May this year.

Delivering his sixth Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon a range of subjects, beginning from the scrapping of Article 370 and triple talaq practices to advocating for population control and encouraging travel. One of the most monumental announcement was the formation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) - the topmost defence officer of the country - to whom all the three service chiefs will report.