A second stage of the Jal Jeevan Mission for providing tap water to every household has been approved by the government, and ₹1.51 lakh crore has been allocated for completing projects that were pending and stabilizing the water sector. However, more than 20 states have reservations regarding the inclusion of their territories in this scheme since the necessary pact with the central government hasn’t been signed by them.

Among others, big states such as Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Jharkhand are included in those that have reservations. At the same time, the Ministry of Jal Shakti is considering linking all these states with this program. It is believed that some states have already reached an agreement.

Meanwhile, the 12 states with which agreements have been signed so far under this new phase of the mission include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh.

Financial assistance has also been released to states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The focus of this new phase of the mission is not limited to providing water, but also on water supply quality, management, and digital mapping.

According to Jagran sources associated with the mission, the primary reason behind the states' confusion is the agreement, which requires them to ensure tap water supply to every household by 2028, along with goals such as ensuring water quality and establishing a system for the supervision and management of tap water schemes.

States argue that the cost of achieving these goals is significantly less than the amount being provided. Furthermore, each state's geographical conditions vary. Therefore, it is not appropriate to hold everyone to the same standards.