Over 50% rural tap water coverage: Har Ghar Jal scheme nears completion

New Delhi: According to recent official data, all states and Union Territories (UTs) have surpassed 50% coverage for tap water connections in rural households. Under the Har Ghar Jal scheme, which aims to provide tap water connections to all rural homes by the end of the year, significant progress has been made.

Currently, 11 states and UTs have reached full coverage with 100% tap water connection in rural areas. These include Goa, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Telangana, Puducherry, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram.

On the other hand, the states with the lowest coverage are West Bengal at 52.30%, Rajasthan at 52.91%, Kerala at 53.62%, Jharkhand at 54.26%, and Madhya Pradesh at 64.84%.

Out of the total 19.33 crore rural households, 16.09 crore have already received tap water connections. The Har Ghar Jal scheme, launched by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019, is designed to ensure every rural household receives 55 liters of tap water per person per day by 2024.

In flood-prone regions like Assam, the scheme has proven vital, with climate-adaptive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) structures helping communities access clean water even during natural disasters. 

Additionally, the initiative has introduced the Har Ghar Jal certification to encourage community involvement. Gram sabhas are now involved in verifying tap water coverage and maintaining service quality, with states such as Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram already adopting this certification process. PTI