New Delhi: It has been 3 years since the union government rolled out the flagship Jal Jeevan Mission scheme aimed at taking tap water to every home.  Data shows that Kerala has fared poorly among others and is the only South Indian state with scheme penetration below 50 per cent.

Only 42.58 per cent of families in Kerala have been equipped with piped water connections under the scheme.

The national average of families with piped water connections is 52.41 per cent. Kerala has been ranked 21 among the states in scheme penetration.

Though the union government had pointed out the flaws in the implementation multiple times, the course correction is not seen.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed his government, under the scheme, provided piped water connection to seven crore rural families in the last three years.

"In the seven decades since Independence, only three crore rural households had piped water connection. But, in the last three years, since this mission was announced, our government has given seven crore additional connections to rural areas," Modi said.

The mission aims to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household in the country by 2024.