Union Jal Shakti Minister To Chair Regional Conference Of Ministers Of North-Eastern States On 28th February, 2022

Feb 28, 2022 | Business


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The Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will chair a Regional Conference of Ministers of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), rural water supply and sanitation departmentof the North-Eastern States on28th February, 2022 at Guwahati, Assam. The regional conference will focus on important issues pertaining to implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). The meeting can be viewed on the following link: https://youtu.be/N2Wo8QLA6jA


The Union Minister will be setting the roadmap for the North-Eastern States, keeping in line with the guidance received from the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, during the Webinar on ‘Post Union Budget 2022 – Leaving No Citizen Behind’ held on 23 February, where he had said, “a clear roadmap must be built so that States/ UTs can achieve the target within the stipulated timeframe. Priority should be given to North-Eastern border States, hilly region and aspirational districts.”


Difficult terrain, heavy rain and snowfall coupled with erratic supply of construction material greatly impacts the progress of the mission work in the border regions of the north-east. Reaffirming the commitment towards public health and well-being of the people living in rural areas, the Union Budget 2022-23 fund allocation for JJM has been increased from Rs 45,000 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 60,000 crore in 2022-23.  For SBM(G) Rs.7,192 crore have been allocated in the Budget 2022-23.



Har Ghar Jal is a flagship programme of the Government of India being implemented in partnership with States/ UTs, aims at providing tap water connection to every rural household in the country by 2024.Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim aim to achieve Har Ghar Jal in 2022. The deadline set by Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland is 2023; Assam aims to meet the goal in 2024.  Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) is another flagship programme being implemented by Ministry of Jal Shakti.  All the States in the country achieved Open Defecation Free status by 2nd October, 2019, when villages across India had declared themselves ODF. In its second phase,SBM-G is focusing on ODF sustainability and to achieve solid and liquid waste management in all villages by 2024-25 i.e., to transform the villages to ODF Plus. The Secretary DDWS, Smt. Vini Mahajan, will set the agenda of the conference which will focus on important issues pertaining to implementation of both these programmes.


Since the announcement ofJal Jeevan Mission on 15thAugust 2019, significant progress is made across the country and as on date more than 9 Crore rural households are provided with tap water connections. Despite disruptions and lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, today, more than 100 districts in the country have become Har Ghar Jal.


There are total of 43,668 villages in the North-East of which 6,798 have become Har Ghar Jal. So far, under the programme, 30,196 Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) have been constituted and 31,811 Village Action Plans (VAPs) have been developed. As many as 197 Implementing Support Agencies (ISAs) are engaged by the NE States for awareness creation, community mobilization, hand holding of village communities, etc. There are 14 Aspirational districts in the region, where 18.79 lakh households are provided with tap water connections. Out of 68,936 Anganwadi Centres in the region, 35,944 (52%) now have tap water connection. There are 71,814 schools in NE and as on date 48,724 (68%) have access to potable tap water for drinking, cooking mid-day meal, handwashing and use in toilets.


Further, water supply infrastructure is planned for covering the remaining villages under the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme. Jal Jeevan Mission aims to skill-up local village youth as mason, plumber, pump operator, fitter, technician, electrician, etc. to support village water schemes in construction, repair and maintenance activities. It will also boost the rural economy and check people’s migration from villages for livelihood.



    Situation as on 15th August 2019                            Situation as on 28th February 2022


Following Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aurSabkaPrayas”, 100 districts, 1,150 blocks, 67,071 gram panchayats and 1,38,655 villages have become ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Three States – Goa, Telangana and Haryana and three UTs – A&N Islands, D&N Haveli & Daman & Diu and Puducherry have provided 100% tap water coverage. Other States are fast moving and are close to achieve the cent percent coverage shortly. Of these Punjab stands at 99%, Himachal Pradesh at 93%, Gujarat at 92% and Bihar at 90%. All these have set 2022 as the deadline to reach every rural home with tap water.    


Under SBM(G), NE States have done good work on sanitation. Achievement of ODF status has resulted in substantial health gains for people.  The resources under SBM(G) are being used to support construction of individual toilets for the new households and community sanitary complexes for households without the space for toilet construction and floating population; grey water management systems; solid waste management, including door-to-door collection of waste.  SBM (G) is also working to shun the Single Use Plastics and safe disposal of faecal sludge.  Attainment of solid and liquid waste management will help people realise sustainable health and hygiene benefits.




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Nominations for Nari Shakti Puraskar -2021 open till 31st January, 2022

Jan 15, 2022 | Business


 Nominations for the Nari Shakti Puraskar, 2021 is open and applications/nominations may be made on the online Portal www.awards.gov.in  .The last date for nomination is 31st January, 2022. Details regarding eligibility and guidelines in respect of Nari Shakti Puraskar are available on the above said portal.


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Workshop on Gati Shakti organized by PPT

Jan 12, 2022 | Business


Paradip Port Trust under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways organized a workshop with the theme “Gati Shakti – The revolutionary Multi-Modal Connectivity for Integrated & Seamless Supply Chain” at Bhubaneswar today. Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan, Secretary, MoPSW said that PPT has the potential to reach a World Class Port by addressing the issues of efficiency and cost related matter. He called forexpediting the widening of NH-53 (Paradip to Chandikhol) under Gati Shakti. The widening of SH-12, Paradip to Cuttack to four lane also may be undertaken on a priority basis. Waterways can play a crucial role in effective logistics movement. PPT’s proposed Riverine Port is the right step in the direction. Stressing on the need for a proper logistics legal framework under Gati Shakti, the logistics sector will get a major fill up, as it is being aimed to cut down 30% of current logistics transportation cost to the current world level of 7-8%. He also suggested for dedicated heavy haul rail corridor from Salegaon to Paradip.


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Shri Bhupinder Singh Poonia, MD, IPICOL & IDCO said that the Govt of Odisha has set a target of 100 MMTA steel production. It is also stressing on port led industrialization. To boost connectivity, a 600km road stretch is being planned. RITES has been engaged for making comprehensive logistics study for the state of Odisha. Accordingly, a comprehensive industrial plan for Paradip is being planned. PPT’s initiatives for containerized cargo will improve agro and marine products from the State.


Shri P.L. Haranadh, Chairman, PPT made a detailed presentation on the capacity augmentation plans, efforts for synergy of different modes of transport and ease of doing initiatives of the port. Paradip port is enabled to handle 60 MMTPA of thermal coal by coastal shipping. He requested coal India and Railway to increase the allotment of more rakes of thermal coal to Paradip.


The inaugural session was followed by two technical sessions. Shri A.K. Bose, Dy. Chairman, PPT moderated a session on “Coastal movement of thermal coal – Opportunities & Challenges”. In the afternoon session, Shri B.K. Joshi, CEO, KICTPPL moderated session on ‘Convergence & Divergence of logistic chain – Industrial perspective.”


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PM Gati Shakti- BISAG-N team conducts capacity building exercises with senior government officials of relevant departments

Nov 24, 2021 | Business

The PM Gatishakti National Master Plan has been developed by BISAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics) in a dynamic Geographic Information System (GIS) platform wherein data on specific action plan of all the Ministries/Departments is being incorporated within a comprehensive database. The system will be further developed as a Digital Master Planning tool with Project Management tools, dynamic dashboards, MIS reports generation etc.

In order to facilitate the process, capacity building exercise is being conducted by the BISAG-N team with senior-level officers ofrelevant ministries and departments under Government of India with an aim to integrate and synchronise data on their existing/planned projects in a single platform. This ongoing exercise has already been undertaken for Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Textile, Department of Telecommunication etc.

This exhaustive exercise shall mark an exchange of data between the respective departments and BISAG-N for updation of the National Master Plan. The exercise will assist the departments to gain a better know-how of the GIS tool and enable them to prioritize and plan the timeline of their projects in coordination with other infrastructural projects. This will increase efficiency of logistics leading to improved competitiveness of Indian economy.

The infrastructure ministries are ensuring updation of existing and proposed infrastructure in National Master Plan Portal. Similarly, the economic ministries are updating the existing economic zones in the country.

This exercise will lead to identification of gap in infrastructure and the need for economic zones. Such gap analysis will be examined by the Network Planning Group. The recommended gap in infrastructure shall be taken up on priority basis by respective infrastructure ministries, thus bringing in the logistics efficiency. Updation of infrastructure layers will help in decision making by the economic ministries for locating new economic zones.

All the economic ministries have also been advised to undertake exercise for identification of infrastructural gaps so as to take up such projects in mission mode. It is expected that updation of data by all ministries of central government will be completed by end of the month.

Department for Promotion of Industries and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has decided to organize6 zonal conferences during the next two months for undertaking similar exercise for all the states of the country. It is hoped that with the updation of entire infrastructure and economic zones by the central and state governments, the National Master Plan would become a real time decision making tool for infrastructural and economic ministries. This will bring in cost efficiencies and competitiveness and thus will improve overall logistics efficiency in the country.

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MoS Jal Shakti Shri Rattan Lal Kataria Addresses BRICS International Forum Webinar, Highlights Gravity of Water Crisis Being Faced By The World Today

Apr 11, 2021 | Business

The Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, speaking at a webinar organized by BRICS International Forum, a civil organization, highlighted the role of BRICS Nation in resolving common problems like lack of access to safe drinking water. Shri Kataria cited example of Cape Town, South Africa, which became the first major city to have run out of water in the year 2017-18, to highlight the gravity of water crisis being faced in the world today. He mentioned about Brazil where around 3 million population still lack access to safe drinking water. Russia on the other hand has 1/4th of the world’s fresh surface and ground water resources and provides 248 lpcd water to its residents for domestic use.

Shri Kataria added that the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated the existential global crisis like hunger poverty and water scarcity. He Emphasized upon learning from each other’s valuable experience in handling the water crisis as 2.2 billion people across the globe still struggle to have access to safe drinking water (WHO). He termed providing safe drinking water to people as an inescapable duty of any Government and also a Human Right as enshrined in UNGA resolution 64/292.

Shri Kataria informed the esteemed dignitaries that realizing the true importance of providing access to assured and safe drinking water to each rural household, Government of India, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, launched an ambitious Scheme to cover all rural households with piped water supply by the year 2024. In August 2019, India launched Jal Jeevan Mission (Water is life) Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 3.60 lakh Crore that is around 48 billion US$.

A Scheme of this scale is unprecedented in the history of this Nation and probably in the world. Shri Kataria informed that in a short span of 1 and a half years, India has provided over 40 million piped water connections to rural households. At this pace, it is expected to meet the ambitious target of covering all rural households well within the time limit.

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The MoS Jal Shakti added that the outcome of Jal Jeevan Mission cannot be limited to providing piped water connections to households as it is ushering a Social revolution as each and every household – irrespective of caste, color, creed or religion is getting water at 55 lpcd – following an inclusive approach. It is reducing the drudgery of women who used to travel long distances to get water for their families. In fact, village level committees have been constituted for making plans for augmenting water supply for their respective villages. 50% participation has been ensured for women in such committees. This step shall empower women to take important decisions linked with water management.

The Mission includes a huge investment in water network infrastructure like pipes, taps, water pumps, storage tanks etc. it shall create a huge demand for skilled/semi-skilled workforce like pipe fitters, plumbers, electricians, pump operators etc. Therefore, the Mission includes a component of skill training for the rural youth so that they can earn their living.

Terming JJM as a success story, Shri Kataria mentioned that India is ready to share its experience with other developing Nations. He also called upon the BRICS Nations for sharing the innovative and best practices being followed in water sector both at the Government level as well as amongst the civil organizations. This shall sensitize people towards judicious use of water and to develop efficient water management practices. In the end, he termed BRICS as an association of emerging economies, with considerable regional influence, and built upon the principles of equality, trust, mutual understanding.

The webinar was attended by Prof Prince William Mishiki, Hon’ble Minister of DR Congo, Yulia Berg Co- Founder of The International Business Acceleration Centre, Russia, Purnima Anand President, BRICS International Forum President, International Federation For Indo-Russian Youth Club, Volker Tschapke Consultant for Foreign Trade Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade Global Economic Trade (Germany) amongst others. It is informed that currently the fifteenth-year anniversary of BRICS missions is being celebrated. India is the chair country of the 13th conference in the BRICS summit and is committed to the common goals uniting the BRICS countries.

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