Jal Shakti Mission: 50% rural households now have access to tap water connections

Launched in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission is one of the major flagship programs of the Modi government

 

 

 

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With the aim to provide every rural household with safe drinking water, the country has achieved the milestone of 50 per cent of rural households having access to tap water connections, the latest data released by Jal Shakti Ministry shows.

Launched in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission is one of the major flagship programs of the Modi government. It aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. The programme also aims to implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting. Before 2019, out of total 18.93 crore rural households, only 3.23 crore (17 per cent) households had access to tap water connection. The remaining 15.70 crore families were dependant on river, well, pond, stand post and spring for their daily water needs. By the end of FY20, only 21.3 percent of rural households had access to a water pipeline. During the next financial year, it increased to 37.99 per cent.

According to the latest figures released by the ministry, 108 districts, 1,222 blocks, 71,667 Gram Panchayats and 1,51,171 village have been provided with drinking water through taps. Goa, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry and Haryana have already achieved 100 per cent household connections. Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have coverage of more than 90 per cent and are progressing fast towards attaining the status.

However, in seven states and UTs, less than 25% households have tap water supply. Uttar Pradesh has the lowest coverage at 13.75 percent, followed by Jharkhand at 20.01 percent, Chhattisgarh 23.26 per cent, Rajasthan at 24.58 percent, Assam at 22 percent and West Bengal at 13.48 percent respectively. In 117 aspirational districts (home to some of the poorest Indians), 1,22,33,458 (36.18%) households have been provided with tap water connections. Schools in 12 states and UTs have 100 percent tap water connection while schools in 10 states and UTs have over 75% tap water connection

At the same time, the allocation towards this project has increased over the years. While ₹10,998 crore was allocated in FY2121, it rose to ₹45,011 crore in FY22 and ₹60,000 crore in the latest budget.

It’s a sobering thought that only 50 per cent of Indians have access to piped drinking water. For millions, safe water can turn problems into potential – unlocking education, economic opportunity and improved health.