Government of India, in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)-Har Ghar Jal to enable every rural household in the country, including those in hilly and remote areas and the State of Jharkhand to have assured potable water, in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis, through tap water connection.

At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, 3.23 Crore (17%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 29.11.2023, around 10.46 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 29.11.2023, out of 19.24 Crore rural households in the country, around 13.69 Crore (71%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

Region-wise progress under the mission is not maintained at Government of India level. However, State/ UT-wise details of rural households provided with tap water connections, are annexed. 

Under JJM, the water sources inter alia which include groundwater (open well, borewell, tube well, handpumps, etc.), ancient & traditional surface water (river, reservoir, lake, pond, springs, etc.) and rain water stored in small tanks are being used as sources for drinking water supply schemes. Water being a State subject, the planning, designing, approving, implementing and operation and maintenance of rural water supply schemes are being done by the States/ UTs. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance.  To ensure water supply to households of prescribed quality,  States/ UTs have been advised time and again to undertake testing of water quality on a periodic basis and take remedial action wherever necessary.

Further, to enable States/ UTs to test water samples for water quality, and for sample collection, reporting, monitoring and surveillance of drinking water sources, an online JJM – Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has been developed. As reported by States/ UTs on WQMIS, as on 29.11.2023, about 48.47 lakh water samples have been tested in the water testing laboratories and 78.96 lakh water samples using Field Testing Kits (FTKs), during 2023-24. The States/ UTs have been advised to identify and train 5 persons preferably women from every village to conduct water quality tests using FTKs/ bacteriological vials at village level and report the same on the WQMIS portal. So far, about 23.31 lakh women have been trained for testing of water quality through FTKs.

Further, to encourage water quality testing to ensure potable drinking water supply, States/ UTs have opened water quality testing laboratories to general public for testing of their water samples at a nominal rate.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AS

State/ UT-wise status of tap water connections in rural households

(Number in lakhs)

HH: Household                       Source: JJM – IMIS

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