Delhi govt hikes water, sanitation budget by 70%

Delhi govt hikes water, sanitation budget by 70%

The Delhi government increased the 2020-21 budget for water supply and sanitation by around 70 per cent, allocating more funds for unauthorised colonies and wastewater treatment plants.

Presenting the budget in the Delhi Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said four decentralised water treatment plants, with a combined capacity of about four million gallons per day (MGD), will also be installed on the banks of Yamuna.

At present, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) supplies around 950 MGD of water against the city'’s demand of 1,150 MGD. The government has set aside Rs.3,724 crore for implementation of DJB's plans and projects in 2020-21 and Rs.467 crore for the "lifeline water subsidy scheme" for providing 20,000 litres water free to six lakh beneficiaries every month, Sisodia said.

Free 20,000 litres of water and power up to 200 units were among the major achievements of the Aam Aadmi Party government which catapulted the AAP to power in Delhi for a third time on the trot in February.

"A sum of Rs.110 crore has been allocated for ''Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojna''. The total allocation for water supply and sanitation in 2020-21 is about 70 per cent higher than the revised estimates for 2019-20. The reason for this is that more funds have been allocated for unauthorised colonies and sewer treatment plants," he said.

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