To enable every rural household in the country to have assured potable water, in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis, through tap water connection, since August 2019, Government of India, in partnership with states, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal.

At the start the Mission, only 3.23 Crore (16.7%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 03.03.2026, under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal more than 12.58 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 03.03.2026, out of around 19.36 Crore rural households in the country, around 15.82 Crore (81.71%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

Further, the State/ UT-wise, District-wise and Village-wise status of tap water connection provided under the Mission in rural areas is in public domain and available on JJM dashboard at: https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx  

States have reported challenges such as scarce dependable water sources in stressed areas, geogenic contamination, difficult terrain, scattered habitations, limited technical capacity, rising material costs and delays in statutory clearances, etc. To address these challenges, the Government introduced measures like Special Assistance for Capital Expenditure, appointed nodal officers for faster clearances, set up State Project Management Unit (SPMUs), District Project Management Units (DPMUs) and also initiated the Nal Jal Mitra programme to strengthen local technical skills. Further, initiative of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) further promote source sustainability, community-led conservation and women’s leadership in ensuring long-term drinking water security.

Under JJM, the Department undertakes assessment of the functionality of household tap water connections provided under the Mission, through an independent third-party agency, selected based on standard statistical sampling. During the Functionality Assessment, 2024, it was found that 98.1% of households in surveyed villages had tap connections; 87% of households with tap connections reported receiving water in the past week, indicating overall progress; 84% households receive water as per schedule; 80% households found receiving the minimum 55 LPCD water; 76% households found free from bacteriological contamination and 81% households of the supply source found free from chemical contamination and considering the parameters of quantity, quality and regularity, and 76% of household tap connections were found to be functional.

Since its launch, Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented as a decentralized, demand-driven and community-managed programme, shifting its primary focus from habitation level provision to household tap connection. Under JJM, the focus is on ‘service delivery’ rather than mere water supply ‘infrastructure creation’. Further, to ensure universal coverage through tap water connection, the Department has evolved a comprehensive multi-level and multi-format system of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of programme, linking AADHAR of the head of household for targeted delivery and monitoring of specific outcomes, subject to statutory provisions, including geo-tagging of assets created, third-party inspections before making payments, etc.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI V. SOMANNA in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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AMK

(RS USQ 1862)

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