**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 104, answered on January 29, 2026, regarding the assessment of drinking water availability in Barmer and Jaisalmer. It details the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in providing tap water connections to rural households in these districts. The report highlights the percentage of households with tap water supply as of January 24, 2026, and emphasizes the role of state governments in planning and implementing drinking water supply schemes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Implementation:**
* The Government of India, in partnership with States, is implementing the JJM since August 2019 to provide tap water supply to every rural household across the country, including Barmer and Jaisalmer.
* **Progress in Barmer District:**
* At the start of the Mission, around 6,000 (2.28%) rural households had tap water connections.
* As of January 24, 2026, approximately 52,000 additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM.
* Overall, more than 58,000 (21.26%) out of 2.73 lakh rural households in Barmer have tap water supply.
* **Progress in Jaisalmer District:**
* At the start of the Mission, around 2,000 (1.99%) rural households had tap water connections.
* As of January 24, 2026, approximately 59,000 additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM.
* Overall, more than 61,000 (49.83%) out of 1.23 lakh rural households in Jaisalmer have tap water supply.
* **State Government's Role:**
* Drinking water is a State subject; States plan, design, approve, and implement drinking water supply schemes.
* The Government of India supplements the States' efforts by providing technical and financial assistance.
* **Focus on Water-Stressed Areas:**
* Under the mission, 30% weightage is assigned for difficult terrains including areas under Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) while allocating the fund, to prioritize coverage.
* Provisions are in place for bulk water transfer from long distances and regional water supply schemes in drought-prone and water-scarce areas.
* Source recharging measures are also implemented, such as dedicated bore well recharge structures, rain water recharge, and rejuvenation of existing water bodies.
* **Project Details:**
* Project-wise details of individual rural water supply projects, including source augmentation and desalination or long-distance pipeline, are maintained at the State Government level.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact:** Responsible for planning, designing, approving, and implementing drinking water supply schemes, and for maintaining project-wise details.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and manage drinking water supply schemes, leveraging technical and financial assistance from the Government of India.
**Rural Households in Barmer and Jaisalmer**
* **Impact:** Improved access to tap water supply through the JJM initiative.
* **Action Required:** Utilize and maintain tap water connections provided under the JJM to ensure sustainable access to drinking water.
Key Entities Referenced
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): A program to provide tap water supply to every rural household across the country.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The central ministry responsible for the Jal Jeevan Mission and drinking water initiatives.
Barmer: A district in Rajasthan where drinking water availability is assessed.
Jaisalmer: A district in Rajasthan where drinking water availability is assessed.
Rajasthan: The state where Barmer and Jaisalmer are located.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 104
ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026
ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER AVAILABILITY IN BARMER AND JAISALMER
104. SHRI UMMEDA RAM BENIWAL:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has conducted district-wise assessments of drinking water stress in
Barmer and Jaisalmer and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the status of household tap connections provided under the Jal Jeevan Mission in these districts;
(c) whether desalination or long-distance pipeline solutions are under consideration and if so, the
details thereof; and
(d) the manner in which the sustainability of drinking water supply is ensured in extreme arid
conditions?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI V. SOMANNA)
(a) & (b) To make provision of tap water supply to every rural household across the country,
including those in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan, Government of India, in partnership
with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), since August 2019.
At the start of the Mission, around 6 thousand (2.28%) rural households were reported to have tap
water connections in Barmer district of Rajasthan. So far, as reported by the State, around 52
thousand rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on
24.01.2026, out of 2.73 lakh rural households in the district, more than 58 thousand (21.26%)
households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.
Similarly, at the start of the Mission, around 2 thousand (1.99%) rural households were reported to
have tap water connections in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. So far, as reported by the State, around
59 thousand rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on
24.01.2026, out of 1.23 lakh rural households in the district, more than 61 thousand (49.83%)
households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.
Page 1 of 2(c) & (d) Drinking Water being a State subject, it is States, who plan, design, approve and
implement drinking water supply schemes. Government of India supplements the efforts of the
States by providing technical and financial assistance.
Under the mission, 30% weightage is assigned for difficult terrains which inter alia include areas
under Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) while
allocating the fund, to prioritize the coverage in these areas. Provisions have also been made for
planning and implementation of bulk water transfer from long distances and regional water supply
schemes for ensuring tap water supply in drought-prone & water-scarce areas/ areas with
inadequate rainfall or dependable ground water sources. In addition, provisions have been made for
source recharging, viz. dedicated bore well recharge structures, rain water recharge, rejuvenation of
existing water bodies, etc., in convergence with other schemes such as VB-G RAM G, Integrated
Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), 15th Finance Commission tied grants to RLBs/
PRIs, State schemes, CSR funds, etc.
As numerous projects are implemented concurrently at various levels across the States for
achieving the envisaged objectives, project-wise details of individual projects/ schemes for rural
water supply projects, including those of source augmentation and desalination or long-distance
pipeline, are maintained at the State Government level.
*****
Page 2 of 2