Jal Shakti Minister Mr. C R Patil says Govt has allocated Rs. 32,000 crore (US$ 3.56 billion) for water conservation across the country
- IBEF
- January 28, 2026
The Jal Shakti Minister, Mr. C.R. Patil, announced the government’s plan to promote water conservation across the country, with the government allocating Rs. 32,000 crore (US$ 3.56 billion) for various water conservation projects. The Minister of Jal Shakti, Mr. C.R. Patil, emphasized that large-scale projects such as MGNREGA will shift their focus to water-related projects, allocating 65% of the budget to regions that are most severely affected by water scarcity. The Jal Shakti Minister, Mr. C.R. Patil, also mentioned the progress made in the Namami Gange Mission, saying that the government has completed 15 projects for pollution abatement in the current year, with Uttar Pradesh leading the way with six projects, followed by Bihar with four projects, and West Bengal with three projects. So far, 37 lakh water harvesting structures have been constructed, to reach 1 crore in the current year, which is a crucial step towards harvesting rainwater and increasing water availability in both rural and urban areas.
The Minister of Jal Shakti, Mr. C.R. Patil, also launched 25 new centres for the Jalaj Livelihood Mission, taking the total number of centres to 51, with 24 more in the pipeline, linking river conservation to sustainable livelihoods in the region. Projects such as Youth for Ganga and Youth for Yamuna have been initiated to engage the youth in river conservation and sanitation activities. Representatives from Varanasi and Delhi spoke about the efforts being made by the community to keep the Ganga and Yamuna rivers clean, reiterating that community engagement is the foundation of India’s water sustainability.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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