Jal Shakti Ministry wants states to retrofit old tap lines for JJM, many yet to explore

In a recent meeting, the Jal Shakti Ministry has asked the states to augment the existing tap connections in order to give tap water connection to households. The move is aimed at implementing the 50% target of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to give tap water connection to households. The JJM aims to provide safe drinking water of 55 Litre Per Capita Per Day (LPCD) to all the households with Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC).

New Delhi:As a measure to implement the 50% target of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to give tap water connection to households, the Jal Shakthi Ministry had asked the states to augment the existing tap connections. However, except for a few states, many are reluctant and yet to explore the project.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which he announced during the Independence Day of the nation in 2019. JJM aimed to provide safe drinking water of 55 Litre Per Capita Per Day (LPCD) to all the households with Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC). The government had said it would implement the project at a cost of RS 3.50 lakh crores.

The Jal Shakti Minister which has been implementing this mission is most specific on this and monitoring the progress regularly.

In a recent meeting with states on Monday, the Mission Director Bharat Lal had asked all the states to not leave the non-functional tap connections and asked them to retrofit them.

“As the government wants to achieve 50% of the target with already existing tap lines, states can augment them by retrofitting the older pipe connections,” the MD said in the meeting.

If the old tap lines were augmented, there is a scope to get 12.31 lakh tap connections in Karnataka. It is also noted that Maharashtra has identified 85% (33.54 lakh connections) of its JJM target through the retrofitting of old taps.

Except for Maharashtra, other states have no roadmap on this issue and it was acknowledged by the ministry during the meeting.

“Though retrofitting, augmenting the existing tap connections were the part of the project, but states like Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh have not explored the possibilities,” officials with ministry told the state.