Parliament Question: Implementation and sustainability of JJM in Jammu and Kashmir

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3442 ANSWERED ON 23/03/2026 IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF JJM IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR 3442. SHRI SAT PAUL SHARMA: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) the number of households and habitations provided with tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Jammu and Kashmir since its implementation; (b) whether any assessment has been undertaken to identify causes affecting service delivery and public satisfaction; (c) if so, the details thereof; (d) the measures being taken to augment sustainable water sources, including spring rejuvenation, storage and alternative supply mechanisms; and (e) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA) (a) Since August 2019, the Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with States/ UTs including 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 08.03.2026, 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. (b) & (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. User satisfaction levels were reported at 93% for quantity and 95% for quality of water supplied. (d) & (e) To ensure sustainability of water sources, the operational guidelines of JJM provide for strengthening of drinking water sources and source recharge through measures such as dedicated borewell recharge structures, rainwater harvesting, and rejuvenation of existing water bodies, adopting watershed/ spring shed principles. These activities are undertaken in convergence with other schemes and funding sources, including , Finance Commission grants,VB-G RAM G, State schemes, MPLAD, MLALAD, CSR, etc. In tribal, hilly and forested areas, sustainable solutions such as gravity-based and solar-powered water supply systems with low O&M requirements are promoted. In such regions, emphasis is also placed on rejuvenation and protection of springs as reliable sources of drinking water. *****