New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Tripura have achieved between 86 per cent and 98 per cent coverage of functional household tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with reform-linked memorandum of understanding (MoUs) signed with the Ministry of Jal Shakti recently expected to drive “service-based, community-centred” rural water delivery under JJM 2.0.
According to official data, Uttarakhand has provided tap water connections to 14.20 lakh out of 14.48 lakh rural households, achieving about 98 per cent coverage. Karnataka has reached around 87 per cent coverage despite being among the more water-stressed states, while Tripura has achieved 86 per cent coverage, up from about 3 per cent at the start of the mission in 2019.
The agreements, inked between the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the three state governments on April 29, lay emphasis on strengthened community participation, or “Jan Bhagidari”, and structural reforms for sustainable operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural water supply systems.
Union minister of Jal Shakti C R Patil said the mission “has emerged as a people-centric movement aimed at enhancing dignity, health and empowerment in rural areas.” “Jal Jeevan Mission is not merely a scheme, but a life-impacting mission that is bringing about fundamental improvements in health, dignity and quality of life, particularly for women and rural communities,” he said.
Highlighting the revised timeline, Patil said the mission, originally targeted for completion by May 2024, has now been extended till December 2028 to achieve 100 per cent tap water coverage.
He urged the three states to ensure proper implementation of O&M at the gram panchayat levels and emphasised the need for “regular and continuous drinking water supply in every village”, along with prompt redressal of public grievances.
On state-specific performance, Patil described Uttarakhand’s progress as “stellar”, noting its 98 per cent coverage, and called on Karnataka to address state-level water issues and accelerate implementation. For Tripura, he stressed prioritising reporting and certification of remaining villages under the Har Ghar Jal initiative.
The MoUs also require states to institutionalise systems such as district water and sanitation mission (DWSM) meetings, creation of sujal gaon IDs, and establishment of district technical units (DTUs), while mandating that states bear costs related to O&M and retrofitting.
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) secretary Ashok K K Meena said the MoUs represent a “shared commitment” between the Centre and states to provide “safe, pure and sustainable drinking water to every household.” He said gram panchayats will be entrusted with managing village water systems and collecting water charges to ensure long-term sustainability, with district administrations required to finalise and certify village-level saturation plans.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the agreement would “accelerate JJM works which are crucial for 14 lakh rural families” in the Himalayan state and reaffirmed commitment to “timely execution and strict adherence to the structural reforms envisaged under JJM 2.0.” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the state’s “87 per cent progress” despite structural water stress challenges, as the second most arid state in the country, and said it is pursuing a “sustainability-driven response” to ensure safe and reliable drinking water, while also flagging the need for the release of pending funds.
Tripura chief minister Manik Saha said the state has made rapid gains from 3 per cent coverage in 2019 at the start of the JJM to 86 per cent, and affirmed that implementation of the O&M policy in line with JJM 2.0 guidelines will commence from May 2026.
He also said that Jal Seva Aankalan has been completed in 151 gram panchayats so far and that district technical units have been constituted across all eight districts as the backbone of the water and sanitation mission. PTI ADI KSI KSI
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