The West Bengal government will henceforth participate in all central water-related projects linked to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Thursday. He made the announcement through a social media post after a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil at the state secretariat, Nabanna, earlier in the day.
In the post, CM Adhikari claimed that the Jal Jeevan Mission, a flagship programme of the Union government conceptualised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is now poised to gather momentum across West Bengal. "This mission is the realisation of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision to deliver safe, potable tap water to every single household, even in the remotest corners of our state," CM Adhikari said in his social media post.
The Jal Jeevan Mission is a flagship initiative of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, designed to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all rural households. Launched in 2019, it has been extended till 2028 to achieve universal, long-term water security.
He also claimed that the West Bengal government, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, will henceforth participate in key initiatives such as the Namami Gange Programme and the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, so that the state benefits and projects of national importance are completed in a timely manner.
In his social media post, he also launched a scathing attack on the previous Mamata Banerjee-led and Trinamool Congress-ruled administration for allegedly being reluctant to ensure the state's participation in central projects linked to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
"For too long, the previous State Govt deliberately tried to obstruct, stall and hijack such crucial projects and also tried to claim undue credit. But those days of deprivation are over. The BJP Government is committed to ensuring smooth, unhindered implementation on the ground," CM Adhikari claimed in his social media post.