Union Budget 2019 | SCOOP: Jal Shakti Ministry to be empowered with massive Rs. 10,000 crore allocation

With an hour to go before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Modi government 2.0's maiden budget in the Lok Sabha, sources have reported that up to Rs.10,000 crores is likely to be alloted to the newly created Jal Shakti Ministry, keeping in line with PM Modi's focus on water conservation and river-linking projects.

Earlier on Sunday, in PM Modi's second series of the radio programme "Mann Ki Baat", the Prime Minister expressed his concern about the water problem in the country and shared the importance of the new Jal Shakti Ministry. He urged the people to make water conservation a national movement. 

Why is Water a main focus of the Centre?

This comes in the wake of major water crisis faced by many parts of the country, with the Centre recently issuing a drought advisory to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, asking them to use water judiciously. Many districts in these states have been declared under severe drought as water levels in the dams and the groundwater levels have reached dangerously low as per reports.

Here's All You Need To Know About The New Jal Shakti Ministry In The Modi Sarkar 2.0, As Promised By The Prime Minister During Election Campaigning

What is the Jal Shakti Ministry?

• It has been created by reorganizing the earlier Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, which was held by Nitin Gadkari in the previous government. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has also been added to it.
• In the election manifesto released by the party had promised that it will launch ‘Jal Jivan Mission’ under which they will introduce a special programme. ‘Nal se Jal’ to ensure piped water for every household by 2024.
• With almost all of rural India depending on monsoon rain for agriculture and domestic purpose, there is a desperate need for water management on a war footing.
•  The ambit of the ministry will encompass issues ranging from international and inter-states water disputes, the byzantine Namami Gange project, the flagship initiative to clean the Ganges, its tributaries and sub-tributaries and provide clean drinking water.

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When was it formed and who heads it?

On taking oath on May 30, PM Modi announced that a new ministry, Jal Shakti, had been introduced, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s poll promise of providing safe drinking water to people. Member of Parliament from Jodhpur, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who defeated Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot, heads the Jal Shakti Ministry.