Lok Sabha Question No. 5435 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Drinking Water Problem in Kuttanad
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5435

ANSWERED ON 03.04.2025

## DRINKING WATER PROBLEM IN KUTTANAD

## 5435. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  severe  drinking  water  crisis  due  to  increasing salinity, pollution and inadequate infrastructure in Kuttanad, Kerala;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the details of any ongoing or proposed central assistance for improving drinking water availability in the region;
- (c) whether the Government has received any proposals from the State Government of Kerala for desalination plants, pipeline infrastructure or other water supply projects for Kuttanad;
- (d) if so, the details and status thereof along with the estimated timeline for implementation; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  would  consider  a  special  drinking  water  package  for  Kuttanad under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) or any other central scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) to (e) Since August 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal to make provision of potable water to every rural household of the country, including those in the Kuttanad, Alappuzha district of Kerala, through functional tap water connection i.e. at  a service level of 55 litre per capita per day (lpcd), of prescribed quality (BIS:10500), on regular and long-term basis.

At  the  start  of  the  Mission,  only  1.85  lakh  (33.61%)  rural  households  were  reported  to  have  tap water connections in Alappuzha. So far, as reported by the State as on 31.03.2025, under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal around 1.80 lakh additional rural households have been provided with

tap water connections. Thus, as on 31.03.2025, out of 5.52 lakh rural households in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, more than 3.65 lakh (66.20%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

To achieve 100 per cent coverage through continued implementation of mission, Hon'ble Finance Minister  during  her  budget  speech  2025-26  has  announced  extension  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  until 2028 with enhanced total outlay.

Drinking  Water  being  a  State  subject,  the  responsibility  of  planning,  approval,  implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission,  lies  with  State/UT  Governments.  The  Government  of  India  supports  the  States  by providing technical and financial assistance. The choice of technology, best suited to the context in a State/ UT, including use of desalination, for making provision of potable water supply to households lies  with  the  respective  State/UT  Governments.  Further,  as  per  operational  guidelines  for  the implementation  of  Centrally  Sponsored  Programme  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  State  Level  Scheme Sanctioning  Committee  (SLSSC),  headed  by  Chief  Secretary/  Addl.  Chief  Secretary/  Principal Secretary/  Secretary  in-charge  of  Public  Health  Engineering  (PHE)/  Rural  Water  Supply  (RWS) Department, approves the schemes/ projects being taken up under JJM.

Numerous projects inter alia including projects aiming at strengthening water storage, distribution systems, or purification facilities are implemented concurrently at various levels across the States for achieving the envisaged objectives. As such, project-wise details of individual projects/ schemes for rural water supply projects are not maintained at the Government of India level.

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