Union Budget 2026: Despite sharp dip in actual spends, Jal Jeevan mission retains allocation at ₹67,600 crore
The Hindu
Union Budget 2026 allocates ₹67,600 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission, despite expected spending drop to ₹17,000 crore amid irregularities.
The Centre’s marquee Jal Jeevan Mission programme, which aims to provide potable water to every rural household, has been allotted ₹67,600 crore for Financial Year 2026-27, incrementally more than the ₹67,000 crore allocated in the previous year’s Budget for FY 2025-26.
Despite the significant allocation last year, the Jal Shakti Ministry, according to the Union Budget documents, expects to spend only about ₹17,000 crore when this financial year ends on March 31, 2026. Allocations reportedly dipped after gross irregularities in the administration of the scheme surfaced from various States.
Union Budget 2026 highlights
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Gujarat, Assam, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan have reported significant action in imposing the penalty and recovery process in cases of financial irregularities, and poor quality of works under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Uttar Pradesh has reported that it initiated enquiries in 14,264 complaints received from various channels.
The Gujarat government reported that a financial loss of ₹120.65 crore had occurred due to irregularities in 620 villages of Mahisagar district, and orders had been issued for recovery from 112 implementing agencies, according to a statement in the Lok Sabha in December 2025 by C.R. Patil, the Jal Shakti Minister.
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