The union government has released ₹604 crore to Jammu & Kashmir under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). While the ₹3.6 trillion JJM scheme aims to ensure assured tap water supply or ‘Har Ghar Jal’ to all rural households by 2024, several states have presented their commitment to providing tap water connections to all rural households before 2024.
“A central fund of ₹2,747 crore has been allocated to the UT in 2021-22 for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, which is nearly four times the allocation made during 2020-21,” Ministry of Jal Shakti said in a statement and added, “J&K plans to become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ UT by August 2022.”
Over 5.39 crore rural households have been provided with tap water connections since the JJM launch in August 2019.
“Out of 18.35 lakh rural households in the UT, 10.39 lakh (57%) households have tap water connections. Despite adverse weather conditions and challenges of transportation in many areas in this difficult terrain, water supply work is in full swing to make provision of tap water supply in villages. Provision has been made for tap water supply to every rural household in 2 districts of Srinagar and Ganderbal and 1,070 villages,” the statement said.
Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been tasked with providing tap water connections to all rural households under the JJM by 2024, drawing comparisons with the Ujjwala.
“At the start of the mission in 2019, out of a total of 19.2 crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water supply. Despite challenges faced due to the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, over 5.42 crore (28%) households have been provided with tap water supply since the launch of the mission. Presently, 8.65 crore (45%) rural households receive potable water through taps. Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry and Haryana have become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ State/ UT i.e. 100% rural households have tap water supply in their homes,” the statement said.
