Kerala allocates ₹500 crore for rural tap water initiative

The Kerala government has approved an additional ₹500 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connections to rural households. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine announced this decision on Friday. The Centre has not yet released the second instalment of funding for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Augustine stated that the funds would help settle urgent payments owed to contractors working on the project. The total cost of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Kerala is estimated at ₹44,714.79 crore, with the state and central governments sharing the expenses equally. So far, ₹11,643.57 crore has been allocated, including the new ₹500 crore from Kerala. Recently, the Opposition criticized the ruling LDF government for slow progress in implementing the project. They noted that Kerala is currently at the bottom of the national implementation list. However, Augustine expressed confidence that by early 2026, the program will reach over 550 panchayats and provide tap water to 85% of rural households by the end of the current government's term. The Union government has also extended the deadline for the Jal Jeevan Mission until 2028, which has provided some relief to the states involved. Currently, out of 70.77 lakh rural households in Kerala, 38.51 lakh have access to tap water.