135 Liters Per Person: Bihar Boosts Drinking Water Supply with Rs 2,000 Crore Plan

Patna: The Bihar government is working on an ambitious plan to provide round-the-clock drinking water supply to residents across the state. Under this initiative, every individual will receive 135 liters of water per day, a significant increase from the current 70 liters. To achieve this, water from North Bihar’s rivers will be transferred to South Bihar. A comprehensive strategy is being developed, with ₹2,000 crore allocated to the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) for the water supply scheme.

Over ₹7,000 Crore for ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ Initiative

The state has transferred water supply schemes from the Panchayati Raj Department to PHED, ensuring better implementation. As part of the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal Nishchay Yojana, around ₹7,000 crore is being spent to enhance access to clean drinking water.

A statewide drinking water survey conducted in November 2024 covered over 1.17 lakh schemes. More than 5 lakh households that were previously non-functional have now been connected to tap water. Currently, over 9.35 lakh households are receiving tap water under the program.

Master Plan for Urban Expansion

The government is also preparing a master plan for all district headquarters and major cities, including Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Gaya. This includes the formation of a Planning Area Authority to develop GIS-based master plans for 44 cities to facilitate urban expansion.

₹2,800 Crore for Smart City Development

The state is pushing for a cleaner and more organized urban landscape, with an estimated ₹13,000 crore allocated for urban development and housing. Municipal bodies aim to make cities garbage-free, with garbage collection already operational in 72,045 wards. Around 7,000 e-rickshaws will be deployed at the gram panchayat level for waste collection.

Under the Smart City Mission, four cities have been allocated ₹2,800 crore so far. Additionally, as part of the Namami Gange initiative, sewage treatment plants will be established in 27 cities through 37 approved projects to improve water sanitation and environmental sustainability.