Water resources, Ganga allocations surge 55% to Rs 30,234 cr

The total Budget allocated for the department of water resources, river development, and Ganga Rejuvenation has surged to Rs 30,233.83 crore, 55 percent up from last year's allotment of Rs 19,516.92 crore.

The revised budget for 2024-25 shows a sharp rise in the allocations, particularly for major irrigation projects and the Namami Gange Mission-II.

While announcing the Budget on Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a comprehensive financial support plan of Rs 11,500 crore to enhance flood control measures and irrigation projects across several states.

Presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman highlighted that the government, through the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and other sources, will provide financial support for various projects.

These projects include the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing schemes, encompassing barrages, river pollution abatement, and irrigation projects. Additionally, survey and investigation of Kosi-related flood mitigation and irrigation will be undertaken.

"Bihar has frequently suffered from floods, many of them originating outside the country. Plans to build flood control structures in Nepal are yet to progress," Sitharaman said.

Assam, which grapples with annual floods caused by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries originating outside India, will also receive assistance for flood management and related projects, she said.

"We will provide assistance to Assam for flood management and related projects," Sitharaman said.

Highlighting the extensive losses suffered by Himachal Pradesh last year, Sitharaman said, "Our government will provide assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation through multilateral development assistance."

The Budget for major irrigation projects, including key programmes such as the Farakka Barrage Project and the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme, has been augmented significantly.

For instance, the allocation for the Farakka Barrage Project alone has risen to Rs 127 crore from the previous year's revised budget of Rs 70.92 crore.

Similarly, the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme has seen a rise of Rs 54.05 crore.

The Namami Gange Mission-II, aimed at rejuvenating the Ganga River, has also received a substantial boost in the Budget 2024-25.

The budget for the National Ganga Plan, including both EAP and non-EAP components, has been set at Rs 3,345.70 crore for 2024-2025, reflecting the government's intensified efforts to clean and conserve the river.

This marks a significant increase from the revised allocation of Rs 2,400 crore for 2023-2024.

In addition to these, the budget for water resources management projects, including the National Hydrology Project and the Atal Bhujal Yojana, has been substantially increased.

The Atal Bhujal Yojana, which focuses on groundwater management, has been allocated Rs 1,778 crore, up from Rs 1,000 crore in the previous fiscal year.

The National Hydrology Project has also seen a rise in its budget to Rs 661.20 crore.

The budget also allocated funds for several centrally sponsored schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana and the National River Conservation Plan.

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana has received an allocation of Rs 9,339.37 crore for 2024-2025, up from Rs 7,031.10 crore in the previous fiscal year.

Similarly, the National River Conservation Plan has been allocated Rs 592.11 crore, a substantial increase from the revised budget of Rs 432 crore for 2023-2024.