With an undivided focus to expedite the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in the State of Uttarakhand, the Government of India has released a second tranche of Rs. 360.95 Crore to the State. So far, in two tranches Rs. 721.90 Crore has been released to the State in 2020-21. For speedy implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, Central fund of Rs. 1,443.80 Crore has been allocated to Uttarakhand in 2021-22, which is four times the allocation made during 2020-21.

Union Government led by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi is according top priority to make provision of tap water supply in every rural household across the country, for which since August 2019, Jal Jeevan Mission is under implementation in partnership with States.

Uttarakhand plans to become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ State by December, 2022. The Government of India is providing full assistance to the State for making provision of clean tap water supply in every rural home of Uttarakhand by the end of year 2022, two years ahead of the national goal of ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Expediting the process of approval of big multi-village drinking water supply schemes, in last two months, schemes worth Rs. 714 Crore for 58.5 thousand homes in 846 villages spread across 11 districts of Uttarakhand benefitting more than 3 lakh people have been approved by the State-level scheme sanctioning committee (SLSSC). This will immensely reduce the drudgery faced by women and children who spent many hours every day in fetching water from distant water sources.

On 15^th August 2019, at the time of launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 1.30 lakh (8.58%) rural homes had tap water supply. In 28 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, the State has provided tap water connection to 6.22 lakh (41.02%) households. Thus, as on date, out of 15.18 lakh rural household in the State, 7.53 lakh (49.60%) are getting tap water supply in their homes. 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. In 2021-22, the State plans to provide tap water connections to 2.64 lakh household So far every rural household 2,438 villages and 620 blocks has been provided tap water supply.

Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented in a decentralized manner following the ‘bottom-up’ approach, wherein the local village community plays a key role starting from planning to implementation and from management to operation & maintenance. For this, the State undertakes community activities like engaging with the community and strengthening the Village Water & Sanitation Committee/ Pani Samiti. As on date, Uttarakhand has constituted Pani Samiti in 14,376 villages and Village Action Plans have been developed for 14,524 villages. The programme encourages participation by women, as they are the primary water managers in any household. 171 Implementing Support Agencies (ISAs) have been engaged by the department to create awareness in public about the mission, sensitize public about importance of safe water, engage with the community and extend support to Panchayati Raj institutions for implementation of the programme. 39,202 women have been trained in the State to conduct water quality testing using Field Test Kits (FTKs). 27 water quality testing laboratories in the State have been opened for general public so that people can get their water samples tested whenever they so desire at a nominal cost.

To ensure safe tap water to children in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres in the country, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced 100-days campaign, which was launched by the Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 2^nd October 2020. Tap water provided in learning centres is used by children and teachers for drinking, cooking mid-day meal, hand washing and in toilets. All schools and anganwadi centres in Uttarakhand have been provided tap water supply in their premises.

At the start of the mission in 2019, out of a total of 19.20 Crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water supply. Despite challenges faced due to COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, over 5.47 Crore (28.47%) households have been provided with tap water supply since the launch of the mission. Presently, 8.70 Crore (45.32%) 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. Following the principle of Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’, the motto of the mission is that ‘no one is left out’ and every rural household is provided with tap water connection. At present, every household in 83 Districts and more than 1.29 lakh villages are receiving tap water supply.

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BY/AS