Mission Bhagiratha – The project aimed at providing drinking water to every household by December 2017 is nearing completion. The estimated cost of Mission Bhagiratha is 43781 crore and the government has tied up with banks to borrow nearly 35000 crores on which interests are mounting.
The balance 20 percent, nearly 8760 crores, is contributed by the government through annual Budget allotments. This year, the government sanctioned 950 crores in the budget for Mission Bhagiratha but that could not even meet the interest accrued for the 12000 Crore it has taken from banks.
The government is not even receiving 300 Crore through industries — 10 percent of the water has been reserved for industries. So, once the 2019 elections are complete, the government is planning to charge for the safe drinking water supplied to the project.
