3 per cent households in rural Assam have water tap connections

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: As of date, only 3 per cent households in rural Assam have the essential facility of water tap connections. Now the State government is planning to augment such tap connections to 40 per cent by this financial year (2020-2021). The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department further plans to cover approximately 68 lakh rural households by 2024 as per the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

The Jal Jeevan Mission envisions safe and adequate drinking water supply through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. The programme will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting. The Jal Jeevan Mission will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as a key component of the mission. JJM looks to create a 'Jan Andolan' (Masses' Movement) for water, thereby making it everyone's priority.

Talking to The Sentinel, PHE Minister Rihon Daimary said, "We have already prepared the action plan to provide household tap connections to all the rural households within 2024. In this regard, the Mission Directorate of Jal Jeevan Mission, Assam and the District Jan Jeevan Mission have been constituted. The Mission expenditure will be borne by the Government of India."

Also Read: 16-Year-Old Assam Coronavirus Patient Dies, Death Toll Rises to 2