New Delhi, June 2 (TIWN) In an attempt to provide every household with assured tap water supply on regular and long-term basis, the Centre has allocated Rs 6,998.97 crore grant to West Bengal under Jal Jeevan Mission for the year 2021-22, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The Central allocation for 2019-20 was Rs 995.33 crore, which was increased to Rs 1,614.18 crore in 2020-21. Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while approving the enhanced allocation, also assured full assistance to the state for provision of tap water supply to every rural home by 2024.     Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on August 2019, announced the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tap water supply to every rural home by 2024 to improve the lives of people especially women and girls, as out of total 19.20 crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 crore (17 per cent) had tap water connections.  During last 21 months, despite disruptions due to Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, the Mission has been implemented with speed and on a scale so that every household has provision of assured tap water supply by 2024.