SRINAGAR: In continuing with its efforts to cover 100% rural households with functional tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission by 2022, the UT of J&K has provided 4.62 lakh tap water connections in two years.
In the first phase of the roadmap devised by the Mission Directorate, Jal Jeevan Mission J&K, two Districts — Srinagar and Ganderbal which include 11 Blocks, 383 Panchayat and 925 Villages were covered with 100% piped water tap connections.
The ambitious flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched on August 15, 2019.
Under JJM, the UT of J&K has set a target to cover all the 20 districts of UT by September 2022.
According to the data of the Jal Shakti Department, Out of 18.35 Lakh rural households, 5.75 Lakh (31.36%) were connected with piped water connection at the start of the mission i.e., 15th August 2019. Jammu and Kashmir have covered 10.37 Lacs (56.51%) households with tap water connection till date and out of which 2.22 lakh tap water connections have been provided during the year 2020-21.
Jal Jeevan Mission has mobilised all its men and machinery in the ongoing 2nd phase, to cover 11 districts, which includes 153 blocks, 1952 Panchayat and 3254 villages with 4.91 Lakh Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs).
During the last leg of the JJM in J&K, 7 districts involving 121 blocks, 1660 Panchayat and 2623 villages shall be covered with 3.12 Lacs functional household tap connections.
A senior official of the Jal Shakti Department said the objective is to cover 100 per cent of households in a time-bound manner while ensuring the functionality of already provided connections.
In line with the appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further improve ‘ease of living’ in rural areas by providing facilities like financial inclusion, houses, road, clean fuel, electricity and toilets, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide drinking water to every rural household, by 2024.
