Mission Bhagiratha: Important Topics for UPSC Exams

What is Mission Bhagiratha?

It is an initiative of Telangana government to provide piped water supply to every household in the country’s youngest state. It requires interlinking of Krishna and Godavari Rivers with reservoirs in the state to collect, conserve and supply much needed water to the state.

Its objective is to provide 100 liters of clean drinking water per person in rural households and 150 liters per person in urban households.
This project aims to provide water to about 25,000 rural habitations and 67 urban habitations.

Project to be completed by 2018 and budget is around 42,000 crore.
Project water allocated for industrial use: 10%
Women in villages empowered to oversee allocation and distribution of water in villages and collection of taxes
More than 1.5 Lakh Km of pipeline to be built.
Use of LIDAR technology for the survey and project monitoring.

Social: Women empowerment and availability of safe drinking water will result into lesser waterborne disease cases thereby improving the quality of upcoming human resource for the nation building.
Economic: The project implementation would create much needed local jobs and further its maintenance will add to the employment ecosystem.
Political: People will get more confidence in administration in taking care of their basic needs such as water. Therefore it will reduce strain in people-polity relation.
Environmental: Downstream biodiversity of the river may get affected.
Agricultural: Availability of piped water may provide off season harvest opportunities.