Parliament Question: Challenges in Rural Tap Water Network under JJM

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 176 ANSWERED ON 31/07/2025 CHALLENGES IN RURAL TAP WATER NETWORK UNDER JJM *176. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH: SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) the data on the number of rural households with functional tap connections that currently lack regular or adequate water supply despite infrastructure available/being laid for the job, district-wise; (b) the steps being taken to ensure the sustainability of water sources in water-stressed, drought- prone and desert areas where tap connections have been installed under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) but are non-functional due to lack of water availability; (c) the manner in which the Government is addressing groundwater contamination, especially due to arsenic and fluoride in regions where piped water supply is reliant on unsafe sources; (d) whether the Government has conducted any independent audit or assessment to identify the extent of water leakage, infrastructure decay or inefficiencies in the rural tap water network installed under JJM and if so, the details thereof; and (e) the capacity-building initiatives put in place to train Panchayat-level workers and local communities in maintaining in-village water supply systems and ensuring long-term sustainability of the infrastructure? ANSWER MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI C R PATIL) (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House. ***** Page 1 of 4Statement referred to in reply of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 176 answered on 31.07.2025 (a) Since August 2019, Government of India in partnership with states is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to make provision of potable water to every rural household of the country through functional tap water connection i.e. to provide assured potable water, in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis. At the start the mission, only 3.23 crore (16.7%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 28.07.2025, under JJM more than 12.44 crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 28.07.2025, out of 19.36 crore rural households in the country, more than 15.67 crore (80.96%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes and works for the remaining 3.69 crore households are at various stages of completion as per saturation plan of the respective State/ UT. State/ UT-wise details are annexed. (b) Under JJM, the water sources inter alia including groundwater (open well, borewell, tube well, handpumps, etc.), ancient & traditional surface water (river, reservoir, lake, pond, springs, etc.) and rainwater stored in small tanks are being used as sources for drinking water supply schemes. States have accordingly been advised for source recharging, viz. dedicated bore well recharge structures, rainwater recharge, rejuvenation of existing water bodies, reuse of greywater, etc., in convergence with other schemes such as MGNREGS, Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), 15th Finance Commission tied grants to Rural Local Bodies/ Panchayati Raj Institutes, State schemes, CSR funds, etc. In addition, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign is being implemented aiming to encourage water conservation at grass-root levels with people's participation. Moreover, water being a state subject, works related to water resources development and management are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the state governments as per their own resources and priorities. Further, for villages in water-scarce areas, in order to save the precious fresh water, states are also being encouraged to plan new water supply scheme with dual piped water supply system, i.e. supply of fresh water in one and treated grey/ waste water in another pipe for non-potable/ gardening/ toilet flushing use. Moreover, the households in these areas are being encouraged to use the faucet aerators that save a significant amount of water, in multiple taps they may be using inside their house. (c) Under JJM, while allocating the funds to States/ UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants (includes Arsenic affected habitations). States/ UTs have been advised to plan and implement piped water supply schemes based on alternative safe water sources for the villages with water quality issues on priority. It was envisaged that planning, implementation and commissioning of piped water supply scheme based on a safe water source in such habitations may take time, therefore, purely as an interim measure, States/ UTs have been advised to install community water purification plants (CWPPs) especially in Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations to provide potable water to every household to meet their drinking and cooking requirements. As on date, States have reported provisions of piped water supply / community water purification plant (CWPP) in all the Arsenic and Fluoride affected rural habitations. Page 2 of 4(d) Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation undertakes assessment of the functionality of household tap water connections provided under the Mission, through an independent third-party agency, based on standard statistical sampling. During the Functionality Assessment 2022, it was found that 86% of households (HHs) had working tap connections. Out of these, 85% were getting water in adequate quantity, 80% were getting water regularly as per the schedule of water supply for their piped water supply scheme, and 87% of households were receiving water as per the prescribed water quality standards. A copy of last Functionality Assessment 2022 is in public domain and can be accessed at https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/functionality-reports. (e) Since its launch, Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented as a decentralized, demand-driven and community-managed programme, wherein the Gram Panchayat and/ or its sub-committee/ user group i.e. Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Pani Samiti are being empowered to plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain in-village water supply system to provide regular and assured tap water supply in rural households. Under JJM, NGOs/ Community Based Organizations (CBOs)/ Self Help Groups (SHGs)/ Voluntary Organizations (VOs), etc. are also being empanelled as Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) to handhold and train VWSCs/ Pani Samitis in planning, mobilizing and engaging communities, disseminating information and encouraging women participation for ensuring long-term operation & maintenance of the water supply infrastructure. To bring in ‘sense of ownership and pride’ among rural communities, provision has been made for community contribution to the extent of 5% of the in-village infrastructure cost in case of North Eastern States and difficult/ hilly areas, forested, water-stressed and villages with more than 50% SCs/ STs population, and 10% in remaining villages. Moreover, for enabling the local village community to play their role in planning, implementation and to shoulder the responsibility of operation and maintenance, Nal Jal Mitra Program (NJMP) has been launched in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to equip them with a comprehensive set of skills & develop “Nal Jal Mitras”, so that they can function as scheme operators and are able to carry out minor repairs and maintenance, including preventive maintenance, of the piped water supply scheme(s) in their village as skilled masons, plumbers, fitters, electricians, motor mechanics, pump operators, etc. While preparing VAPs, dovetailing of resources available at village level under various programs like 15th Finance Commission tied grant for water & sanitation to RLBs/ PRIs, JJM, SBM(G), MGNREGS, MP/ MLA - Local Area Development Funds, District Mineral Development Fund (DMDF), CSR Fund, community contributions, etc. is of paramount importance. In long-term, it is expected that village community will dovetail and utilize all available resources for long-term water security of the village. ***** Page 3 of 4Annex Annex mentioned in Statement referred to in reply of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 176 answered on 31.07.2025 JJM: State/ UT-wise status of tap water connections in rural households as on 28.07.2025 (No. in lakh) Rural HHs with tap Rural HHs with tap Remaining S. Total rural water connection as on water connection as on Rural HHs State/ UT No. HHs Aug, 2019 28.07.2025 as on No. % No. % 28.07.2025 1 A&N Islands 0.62 0.29 46.02 0.62 100.00 - 2 Arunachal Pr. 2.29 0.23 9.97 2.29 100.00 - 3 DNH & DD 0.85 0.00 0.00 0.85 100.00 - 4 Goa 2.64 1.99 75.44 2.64 100.00 - 5 Gujarat 91.18 65.16 71.46 91.18 100.00 - 6 Haryana 30.41 17.66 58.08 30.41 100.00 - 7 Himachal Pr. 17.09 7.63 44.64 17.09 100.00 - 8 Mizoram 1.33 0.09 6.91 1.33 100.00 - 9 Puducherry 1.15 0.94 81.33 1.15 100.00 - 10 Punjab 34.27 16.79 48.98 34.27 100.00 - 11 Telangana 53.98 15.68 29.05 53.98 100.00 - 12 Uttarakhand 14.49 1.30 9.00 14.15 97.63 0.34 13 Ladakh 0.41 0.01 3.48 0.39 96.88 0.01 14 Bihar 167.55 3.16 1.89 160.36 95.71 7.19 15 Nagaland 3.64 0.14 3.82 3.41 93.60 0.23 16 Sikkim 1.33 0.70 52.96 1.22 91.85 0.11 17 Lakshadweep 0.13 - 0.00 0.12 91.44 0.01 18 Uttar Pr. 267.22 5.16 1.93 240.95 90.17 26.27 19 Maharashtra 146.79 48.44 33.00 132.05 89.96 14.73 20 Tamil Nadu 125.26 21.76 17.37 111.64 89.12 13.63 21 Tripura 7.51 0.25 3.26 6.47 86.10 1.04 22 Karnataka 101.31 24.51 24.20 86.78 85.66 14.53 23 Meghalaya 6.51 0.05 0.70 5.40 82.90 1.11 24 Assam 72.24 1.11 1.54 58.97 81.63 13.27 25 Chhattisgarh 49.98 3.20 6.40 40.60 81.24 9.38 26 J&K 19.26 5.75 29.87 15.61 81.02 3.66 27 Manipur 4.52 0.26 5.74 3.59 79.59 0.92 28 Odisha 88.67 3.11 3.51 68.17 76.88 20.50 29 Andhra Pr. 95.53 30.74 32.18 70.63 73.93 24.90 30 Madhya Pr. 111.71 13.53 12.11 78.59 70.35 33.12 31 Rajasthan 107.74 11.74 10.90 61.16 56.76 46.59 32 West Bengal 175.53 2.15 1.22 98.56 56.15 76.97 33 Jharkhand 62.54 3.45 5.52 34.43 55.05 28.11 34 Kerala 70.77 16.64 23.51 38.68 54.66 32.09 Total 19,36.45 3,23.63 16.71 15,67.73 80.96 3,68.72 Source: JJM-IMIS HH: Households Page 4 of 4