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INDUSTRY NEWS & INSIGHTS

SHRI C.R. PAATIL TAKES CHARGE AS NEW jAL SHAKTI MINISTRY INTRODUCES NEW
UNION MINISTER FOR jAL SHAKTI IN INDIA PROjECT TO ADDRESS WATER DEFICIT IN
jAL jEEVAN MISSION
Shri Chandrakant Raghunath Paatil has officially
taken on the role of Union minister for Jal shakti Union Jal shakti minister shri C.R. Paatil recently
in New Delhi. During the handover ceremony, shri announced a significant new initiative aimed at
Paatil expressed his profound gratitude towards addressing water deficits in areas covered by the
Prime minister shri Narendra modi for entrusting Jal Jeevan mission. speaking at a public event, the
him with the critical responsibility of overseeing the minister emphasized the government's commitment
ministry of Jal shakti. He conveyed his commitment to ensuring that rural households, which have
to addressing the multifaceted challenges related to been provided with tap connections under the Jal
water resources in the country. Jeevan mission, will soon receive a reliable supply
shri Paatil, a seasoned politician, is a three-time of potable water.
member of Parliament representing the Navsari "some places have not fully achieved the Prime
Lok sabha Constituency of Gujarat. He has a minister's target," shri Paatil stated during a
proven track record of dedication and service to his workshop for ministry officers. "People joke that
constituents and is now poised to bring that same we have taps but no water. We are initiating
level of commitment to the national stage. a new project to ensure, in a timely manner,
in a heartfelt post on the social media platform that households with taps but no water, and
‘X’, shri Paatil expressed his vision for the ministry. those without taps, are all covered," he added,
He stated, “i am determined that the ministry highlighting the practical challenges faced in the
of Jal shakti will set new benchmarks in water mission's implementation.
conservation, sanitation, and management. We The Jal Jeevan mission, launched with an ambitious
will promote collective efforts and leverage the budget of 3.6 lakh crore, aims to fulfill Prime
latest technology to conserve our precious water minister Narendra modi's 2019 pledge to provide
resources.” potable tap water to every rural household in
Following his assumption of office, Shri Paatil, india. As of June 25, the scheme had reached
along with Union ministers of state for Jal shakti, 77% of its target households, covering 15 crore
shri V. somanna and Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, out of the intended 19 crore households. Despite
were briefed by senior officials of the Ministry. The this progress, there remains a disparity between
briefing covered the current water position in the households receiving tap connections and those
country and provided an overview of the functions consistently receiving the requisite 55 liters of water
and responsibilities of various departments within per person per day.
the ministry. Ministry officials at the event acknowledged these
The event was attended by several dignitaries, challenges, noting that measuring households with
including ms. Vini mahajan, secretary of the water connections involves aggregating data from
Drinking Water and sanitation Department, and ms. various administrative units, including districts,
Debashree mukherjee, secretary of the Department anganwadis, and schools. This comprehensive
of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga approach ensures an accurate representation of
Rejuvenation. Other senior officials from the Ministry water supply coverage across the nation. The new
were also present, underlining the significance of the project announced by shri Paatil seeks to bridge
occasion and the collaborative efforts required to this gap and ensure that all targeted households
tackle water-related challenges in india. benefit from consistent and adequate water supply.
source: PIB source: The Hindu

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