All Rural Dwellings in 11 States/UTs Now Have Access to Tap Water: Report
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Synopsis
New Delhi, March 1 (NationPress) Thanks to the relentless efforts under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a total of 11 states and Union Territories have successfully established tap water connections for every rural household.
Key Takeaways
- 11 states have achieved 100% tap water connections in rural areas.
- Significant progress made since August 2019.
- Challenges remain in states like Kerala and West Bengal.
- Women play a crucial role in water conservation efforts.
- Future goals aim for 79.79% tap water coverage by 2025.
New Delhi, March 1 (NationPress) Thanks to the relentless efforts under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a total of 11 states and Union Territories have successfully established tap water connections for every rural household.
The states that have reached this significant achievement include Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, and Puducherry, as per the official data from the Jal Shakti Ministry.
States like Uttarakhand, Bihar, and the UT of Ladakh are nearing 100% tap water coverage in rural areas, with current figures at 97.24%, 95.71%, and 96.05%, respectively.
On the other hand, states governed by non-BJP parties, such as Kerala and West Bengal, have lagged behind, providing tap connections to only 54.25% and 54.48% of rural homes, respectively.
When the Jal Jeevan Mission commenced in August 2019, merely 3.23 crore (16.8%) rural households had tap water connections.
However, by February 10 of this year, under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal initiative, an additional 12.22 crore rural households gained access to tap water, as detailed in an official document.
By February 2025, out of over 19.36 crore rural households nationwide, more than 15.45 crore (79.79%) are expected to have tap water supply at home.
Officials have initiated the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign to promote water conservation at grassroots levels, encouraging public participation. This campaign was launched in 2019 in 256 water-stressed districts across the country.
In 2024, JSA was reintroduced with the theme "Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti", highlighting the crucial role of women in water conservation efforts.
According to officials, significant challenges faced by states in supplying tap water to rural households include unreliable drinking water sources in drought-prone and desert regions.
Other issues include scattered rural settlements, uneven geographical landscapes, and the presence of geo-genic contaminants in groundwater.
