Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister E. Dayakar Rao drew parallels between Mission Bhagiratha (MB) and Jal Jivan Mission (JJM) of the Central government.
While Mission Bhagiratha envisages supply of water from Krishna and Godavari rivers, Jal Jivan Mission would utilise borewell water. While Mission Bhagiratha had adequate safeguards like filters at different places, Jal Jivan Mission would supply borewell water without filters giving scope for fluoride and other issues, he said.
The State government would spend ₹46,000 crore for Mission Bhagiratha while Jal Jivan Mission envisages spending of ₹3.6 lakh crore and released ₹22,813 crore for the current year. Of the total expenditure on Jal Jivan Mission, 60% would be borne by the Centre and remaining 40% by the respective States.
While 94.8% households are getting safe drinking water in Telangana with pipelines spanning 1.47 lakh km., similar scheme launched in Gujarat 10 years ago was far from being completed. Moreover, the scheme in Gujarat envisages utilisation of one-third water from Narmada and the remaining would be borewell water, he said.
