Parliament Question: Drinking Water Crisis in Jammu and Kashmir

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1864 ANSWERED ON 09/03/2026 DRINKING WATER CRISIS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR 1864. SHRI CHOWDRY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is aware that despite crores of rupees being spent under Jal Jeevan Mission and other water supply schemes, people in various parts of J and K, particularly in Rajwar, Handwara, still suffer for even a single drop of potable drinking water; (b) the reasons for this persistent crisis despite the sanctioning of thousands of water supply schemes; (c) whether any third-party audit has been conducted to assess ground water-level functionality of schemes and household tap connections; and (d) measures proposed to ensure assured, regular and sustainable drinking water supply to affected areas? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA) (a) and (b) Since August 2019, the Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with States/ UTs including UT of Jammu & Kashmir, to make provision of tap water connection to every rural household of the country. As reported by the UT of Jammu & Kashmir on JJM-IMIS, at the start of JJM on 15.08.2019, only 5.75 lakh (39.89%) rural households had tap water connections. Since then, around 9.89 lakh additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 04.03.2026, out of 19.26 lakh rural households in UT, the provision of tap water connections is available to 15.64 lakh (81.24%) rural households. As informed by UT of Jammu & Kashmir, to alleviate the long-standing hardship faced by the residents of Rajwar, an area in district Kupwara, six water supply schemes have been taken up under JJM with the objective of providing adequate and safe drinking water to these villages. As a result, may habitations like Check Saramarg, Sarmarg, Minidora, Khanbal, Rajpora, Sikander Mohalla (Hamla), Tand Mohalla (Wadder), Darina, Chanjmulla, Laribal, Pati Nagni, Nagni Bala (Wadder Bala), Gujjar Patti, Shatigam Nagni, Nabadzeb, Chapran, etc., that had never been connected to piped water supply, have now been provided access for the first time. Page 1 of 2(c) Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation undertakes assessment of the functionality of household tap water connections provided under JJM through an independent third-party agency, based on standard statistical sampling. The Functionality Assessment 2024 was conducted across 405 Har Ghar Jal (HGJ) villages covering 4,860 households in 20 districts of Jammu & Kashmir. It was found that tap connections were available in 99.2% of households in surveyed villages. Of these, 98.5% of households had working tap connections, 89.8% were getting water in adequate quantity, 93.6% were getting water regularly as per the schedule of water supply for their piped water supply scheme, and 86.3% of households were receiving water as per the prescribed water quality standards. The detailed report of Functionality Assessment 2024 is in public domain and can be accessed at https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/functionality-report-2024 (d) ‘Water’ being a state subject, the responsibility of planning, approval, implementation, operation, and maintenance (O&M) of drinking water supply schemes/ works, including those under JJM, lies with State/UT Governments. JJM has been 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, has been empowered to plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain the in-village water supply system to ensure regular and assured tap water supply to rural households. Further, the operational guidelines of JJM provide for preparation of a Village Action Plan (VAP) by the village community, which, inter alia, includes strengthening of drinking water sources through convergence with other schemes such as VB—G RAM G, Finance Commission grants to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs, MP & MLA Local Area Development Funds, District Mineral Development Fund, CSR funds, etc. Moreover, to enable the local village community to effectively undertake operation and maintenance of water supply schemes, the Nal Jal Mitra Programme (NJMP) has been launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to equip local youth with the necessary skills and develop “Nal Jal Mitras”. These trained personnel can function as scheme operators and undertake minor repairs and preventive maintenance of piped water supply schemes in villages as skilled masons, plumbers, fitters, electricians, motor mechanics and pump operators. ***** Page 2 of 2