Jal Jeevan Mission Faces Terrain and Water Source Challenges in Meghalaya

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is running into significant hurdles in Meghalaya, where hilly terrain and a lack of natural water sources in several villages are making it difficult to deliver on the programme's promise of tap water to every household.

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virender Kumar raised the issue at a review meeting, calling for targeted interventions to bridge the gaps that persist despite official claims of near-universal coverage.

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Dr Kumar said he had personally visited four homes to observe how tap water connections are being provided on the ground, and stressed that a standard approach will not work for every village in the state.

"We need special schemes for the villages in Meghalaya that do not have water sources. We must ensure water reaches every home," he said, underlining the need for solutions tailored to the realities of remote and difficult terrain.

The JJM in Meghalaya has achieved over 83 per cent coverage, with functional household tap connections provided to rural households, schools, and Anganwadi centres across the state.

However, the minister's remarks acknowledge a persistent gap — many villages remain without functional water connections, pointing to shortcomings in both planning and resource availability under the national programme.

The "Har Ghar Nal, Nal Se Jal" mission aims to provide safe drinking water through piped connections to every home in India, but Meghalaya's geography continues to present obstacles that require more than a conventional rollout.