Union Budget 2026-27 Presents Mixed Funding Picture for Key Water Schemes
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, revealing a nuanced financial landscape for two of India's flagship water management initiatives. While the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) sees a marginal increase in allocation, the Namami Gange Mission-II faces a budgetary cut compared to the current year's provisions.
Jal Jeevan Mission: Revised Estimates Slashed, Future Allocation Rises
The Jal Jeevan Mission, aimed at providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to deliver 55 litres per capita per day of drinking water to all rural households, has experienced significant budgetary adjustments. For the remaining period of the current financial year, the allocation has been drastically reduced to Rs 17,000 crore in the revised estimates, down from the budgetary estimate of Rs 67,000 crore.
However, looking ahead to 2026-27, the Finance Minister has allocated Rs 67,670 crore for the scheme, marking a slight increase from the previous year's budgetary estimate. This comes despite the fact that the extension of JJM until 2028, which was announced in last year's budget with "an enhanced total outlay," remains pending approval from the Union Cabinet.
According to a status report on the Implementation of Budget Announcements 2025-26 tabled in Lok Sabha, the proposal for JJM's continuation with enhanced funding is "under active consideration of the Department." The mission, launched in August 2019, has faced challenges including irregularities and corruption, leading to extensive inspections and disciplinary actions against officials, contractors, and inspection agencies across multiple states.
Namami Gange Mission-II: Allocation Reduced for Next Fiscal Year
For the Namami Gange Mission-II, focused on the rejuvenation of the Ganga river, the budget allocation for 2026-27 stands at Rs 3,100 crore. This represents a decrease from the current year's allocation of Rs 3,400 crore, though it is slightly higher than the revised estimate of Rs 2,687 crore for the ongoing fiscal period.
Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin Also Faces Revised Cut
The budgetary adjustments extend beyond water-specific schemes. The Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin, aimed at rural sanitation, has also seen a reduction at the revised estimate stage. While Rs 7,192 crore was allocated in the budgetary estimates for 2025-26, this was slashed to Rs 6,000 crore in the revised estimates. For the upcoming financial year 2026-27, the allocation has been restored to Rs 7,192 crore.
These budgetary decisions reflect the government's ongoing evaluation and recalibration of funding for critical national missions amid fiscal constraints and performance assessments.
