Union Budget 2026: ₹70,163cr for Jal Jeevan Mission
This year's Union Budget set aside ₹70,163 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims to bring tap water to every rural home.
But after a surprise cut in the previous budget cycle—when the Budget Estimate in the Union Budget 2025-26 was about ₹67,000 crore but the revised estimate for 2025-26 reported in Budget 2026 documents was reduced (to ₹17,000 crore)—there's now a big gap in what's needed versus what's being spent.
The government says the new funds will help finish the remaining connections and make sure they last.
Congress warns cuts could mean unfinished projects
JJM was launched in 2019 to give 19 crore households reliable tap water at 55-liter per person daily; so far, over 15 crore homes have benefited.
But with funding dropping by more than half and states expected to pick up more of the bill, experts worry about delays and unfinished projects.
Congress has criticized the cuts, warning that less money could mean more families stuck with unsafe drinking water—especially as India faces ongoing water challenges.