The Union government in its Budget 2022 has allocated Rs 60,000 crore for providing tap water connections to 3.8 crore households in the year 2022-23. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the budget on Tuesday, February 1, said that the fund is allocated under the Har Ghar Nal (a tap in every home) scheme. She also said that 80 lakh houses of identified beneficiaries will be completed under PM Awaas Yojana and Rs 48,000 crore has been allocated towards this work.
A total of 5.51 crore rural households have been provided with piped water connections as on January 2, 2022, as per the Economic Survey which was released on January 31. “Among the states and Union Territories, six have achieved 100% coverage of piped water connection to rural households,” the Economic Survey added. These states are Telangana, Goa and Haryana. The Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry have also achieved 100% coverage. According to the Economic Survey, 83 districts, 1,016 blocks, 62,749 panchayats and 1,28,893 villages now have 100% tap water connection for rural households,” the report read.
Presenting the Union Budget 2022-23, she also informed that the government has decided to extend the period of incorporation by one year up to March 31, 2023, for startups to avail tax incentives. The finance minister also said the government proposes to increase tax deduction from 10 per cent to 14 per cent on contribution in NPS (National Pension System) by the state government to employees.
Addressing the House on the first day of the Budget session, President Ram Nath Kovind said that despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic, the government’s efforts under the 'Har Ghar Jal' scheme have made a huge difference in the lives of the people.
(With PTI inputs)