New Delhi: The Lok Sabha treasury benches on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “Modern Bhagiratha” during the discussion on the demands for grants of the Jal Shakti Ministry, while the Opposition claimed the government was no more interested in supplying tap water to rural areas.
BJP’s Jagadambika Pal, while initiating the discussion, said that the statement given by Prime Minister Modi on Maha Kumbh is a message for the world. Around 66 crore people attended the Maha Kumbh, this is an unimaginable event for the world.
Jagdambika Pal stated: “Just as Ganga was brought by Bhagiratha, today, with the arrival of tap water in every home, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be remembered as the Modern-day Bhagiratha.”
He stated that water is essential for both life and development, emphasiSing the need for people to have access to safe drinking water. He highlighted that every state faces a water crisis, with Mithila experiencing six months of drought followed by six months of flooding. A similar situation exists in northeastern Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, many regions in Gujarat and Rajasthan have long struggled with water scarcity, forcing people to migrate during the summer months.
He stated that India has only four percent of the world’s water resources to support 18 percent of the global population. The Saurashtra Jal Avataran project has transformed water-scarce regions in Gujarat. As the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi led a water revolution in the state by implementing the Sardar Sarovar projects, he added.
He stated that while numerous water projects were in progress, there was a lack of coordination among them. PM Modi unified these by establishing the Jal Shakti Ministry, ensuring the provision of tap water to every household. The budget for 2025-26 has allocated Rs 99,503 crore, marking a 93 percent increase from Rs 51,000 crore in 2024-25. To guarantee tap water access for all households, funding has risen by 190 percent.
T R Balu of the DMK stated that the Jal Jeevan Mission aimed to provide 55 litres of drinking water per person by 2024. However, even in 2025, only 80 percent of the target has been met, with the remaining 20 percent still needing to be fulfilled. He also pointed out that the government has not utilized the entire allocated budget for the initiative.
Virendra Singh of the Samajwadi Party said previous governments had developed an extensive canal network in Uttar Pradesh. However, successive governments neglected the projects, leaving the canals unused and in a deteriorating condition without proper maintenance.
Bapi Haldar of the Trinamool Congress accused the central government of discriminating against West Bengal, stating that the state is not receiving its fair share of resources. He claimed that funds for various projects are not being allocated, forcing the state government to finance many initiatives on its own, despite the fact that the water supply scheme is a central government initiative.
Bastipati Nagaraju of the Telugu Desam Party emphasised the need for enhanced water facilities in Andhra Pradesh, as groundwater levels have significantly declined in many areas.
He stressed the urgent need to replenish them but pointed out that delays in fund allocation are hindering the timely completion of these projects. UNI
