Lok Sabha Question No. 291 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-12
Subject: Villages/Households covered under JJM in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Malaiyarasan D

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *291

ANSWERED ON 12/03/2026

## VILLAGES/HOUSEHOLDS COVERED UNDER JJM IN TAMIL NADU

## *291.   SHRI MALAIYARASAN D:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of villages and rural households covered under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Tamil Nadu, district-wise;
- (b) the status of water quality testing, source sustainability and functional tap connections in the State;
- (c) the  steps  taken  to  ensure  community  participation  and  capacity  building  for  proper management of water supply systems;
- (d) whether  any  technology-based  monitoring  and  grievance  redressal  systems  have  been deployed to track implementation progress, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the measures taken to integrate JJM with other water conservation and rural development programmes for optimal impact?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI C R PATIL)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) in respect of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *291 for reply on 12.03.2026 regarding Villages/Households covered under JJM in Tamil Nadu asked by Shri Malaiyarasan D

- (a) and (b) Since August 2019, Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with States/ UTs including Tamil Nadu, to make provision of safe and adequate tap water connection to every rural household of the country.

As reported by the State of Tamil Nadu on JJM-IMIS, at the start of JJM on 15.08.2019, only 21.76 lakh (17.37%) rural households had tap water connections. Since then, around 90.46 lakh additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 08.03.2026,  out  of  125.26  lakh  rural  households  in  state,  the  provision  of  tap  water connections is available to 112.22 lakh (89.59%) rural households. Further, the State of Tamil Nadu has reported 8,290 villages as Har Ghar Jal (HGJ). The district -wise status of tap water connection in rural areas provided under JJM and HGJ reported villages in Tamil Nadu is annexed .

Further, as reported by state of Tamil Nadu on JJM-IMIS, there are 113 drinking water quality testing laboratories in the State to encourage water quality testing to ensure potable drinking water supply. In the year 2025-26, around 8.74 lakh samples have been received for testing in  laboratories  and  45,457  samples  have  been  tested  through  FTK.  Also,  to  empower  the communities to monitor the water quality, State of Tamil Nadu has trained 62,898 women for FTK testing.

In addition, the "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain" campaigns promote source sustainability and water  conservation  measures,  engaging  local  communities  and  emphasizing  women's roles.

- (c)  'Drinking  Water'  is  a  state  subject,  and  hence,  the  responsibility  of  planning,  approval, implementation, operation & maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the JJM, lies with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supports the States by providing technical and financial assistance.

JJM has been envisioned and implemented as a decentralized, demand-driven and communitymanaged programme, wherein the Gram Panchayat  (GP) and/  or its  sub-committee/  user group  i.e.  Village  Water  &  Sanitation  Committee  (VWSC)/  Pani  Samiti  have  been empowered to plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain in-village water supply system to provide regular and assured tap water supply in rural households. Further, provision has been made in the operational guidelines for implementation of JJM for the preparation of Village  Action  Plan  (VAP)  for  engaging  village  community,  which inter  alia includes strengthening of drinking water sources in convergence with other schemes.

To promote Jan Bhagidari for sustainable and continuous service delivery under the JJM, a standardized 'Handbook on Community-Managed Piped Water Systems' has been launched under the Jal Arpan initiative. The handbook mandates a 15-day trial run involving  GPs and VWSC/Pani  Samiti  members  to  ensure  smooth  handover  of  water  supply  schemes  and sustainable operations. In addition, Jal Seva Ankalan has been initiated as a Gram Panchayatled  digital  assessment  tool  for  evaluating  the  functionality  and  service  delivery  of  rural drinking water supply systems.

Moreover,  for  enabling  the  local  village  community  to  play  their  role  in  operation  and maintenance of water supply schemes, Nal Jal Mitra Programme (NJMP) has been launched in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to equip them with a comprehensive set of skills & develop 'Nal Jal Mitras', so that they can function as scheme operators  and  are  able  to  carry  out  minor  repairs  and  maintenance,  including  preventive maintenance, of the piped water supply scheme(s) in their village as skilled masons, plumbers, fitters, electricians, motor mechanics, pump operators, etc.

- (d) Under JJM, technology is utilized to ensure transparency and accountability. Physical and financial progress is reported on JJM-Integrated Management Information Systems (IMIS) and all tap water connections provided, are to be linked with Aadhar number of the head of the household. Provisions have also been made for geo-tagging of assets created under the JJM.  In addition, IT monitoring architecture has also been expanded, apart from State-level access, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) officials and Gram Panchayat-level functionaries  are  being  onboarded  onto  the  IMIS,  enabling  decentralized  monitoring  and improved grassroots-level oversight.

For grievance redressal, citizens can lodge their complaints on Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), online portal of Government of India, which are forwarded to concerned States/UTs for taking corrective action.

- (e) The operational  guidelines  of  JJM  provide  for  convergence  with  other  Central  and  State Government  schemes  relating  to  water  conservation,  groundwater  recharge,  rainwater harvesting,  greywater  management  and  rural  development  to  strengthen  drinking  water security. Such convergence helps augment financial resources and improve the availability, quality  and  sustainability  of  water  sources.  States/UTs  are  encouraged  to  converge  JJM interventions with programmes such as VB-G RAM G , Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana  (PMKSY),  SBM-G  and  Atal  Bhujal  Yojana  for  activities  related  to water conservation, source sustainability and greywater management.  The  guidelines also emphasize undertaking convergence particularly for in-village infrastructure and in waterstressed,  water  quality-affected,  tribal  and  drought-prone  areas,  while  promoting  skill development, capacity building and community awareness to ensure sustainable operation and maintenance of rural water supply systems.

*****

ANNEXURE

Annexure referred in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *291 due for reply on 12.03.2026

| Sr.no.   | District        | Number of rural HHs   | Rural HHs with tap water connections as on 15/08/2019   | Rural HHs with tap water connections as on 15/08/2019   | Rural HHSs with tap water connections as on 08/03/2026   | Rural HHSs with tap water connections as on 08/03/2026   | No. of HGJ reported villages   |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Sr.no.   | District        | Number of rural HHs   | No.                                                     | %                                                       | No.                                                      | %                                                        | No. of HGJ reported villages   |
| 1.       | Ariyalur        | 2,07,503              | 57,549                                                  | 27.73                                                   | 2,07,503                                                 | 100                                                      | 179                            |
| 2.       | Chengalpattu    | 4,15,800              | 44,156                                                  | 10.60                                                   | 4,15,579                                                 | 99.95                                                    | 348                            |
| 3.       | Coimbatore      | 3,72,578              | 1,87,258                                                | 50.26                                                   | 3,72,578                                                 | 100                                                      | 223                            |
| 4.       | Cuddalore       | 5,22,440              | 63,172                                                  | 12.31                                                   | 5,22,440                                                 | 100                                                      | 657                            |
| 5.       | Dharmapuri      | 3,42,782              | 2,049                                                   | 0.60                                                    | 2,09,307                                                 | 61.06                                                    | 10                             |
| 6.       | Dindigul        | 4,52,054              | 1,02,647                                                | 22.53                                                   | 4,13,270                                                 | 91.42                                                    | 118                            |
| 7.       | Erode           | 4,18,973              | 64,441                                                  | 15.38                                                   | 3,90,987                                                 | 93.32                                                    | 159                            |
| 8.       | Kallakurichi    | 3,01,829              | 2,083                                                   | 0.69                                                    | 2,05,792                                                 | 68.18                                                    | 85                             |
| 9.       | Kanchipuram     | 2,16,311              | 58,900                                                  | 27.23                                                   | 2,16,311                                                 | 100.00                                                   | 271                            |
| 10.      | Kanniyakumari   | 2,16,738              | 79,464                                                  | 36.66                                                   | 2,16,738                                                 | 100.00                                                   | 81                             |
| 11.      | Karur           | 2,04,464              | 41,171                                                  | 20.14                                                   | 1,85,789                                                 | 90.87                                                    | 96                             |
| 12.      | Krishnagiri     | 4,09,435              | 5,158                                                   | 1.26                                                    | 2,97,655                                                 | 72.70                                                    | 57                             |
| 13.      | Madurai         | 4,49,328              | 55,265                                                  | 12.27                                                   | 4,20,257                                                 | 93.53                                                    | 178                            |
| 14.      | Mayiladuthurai  | 2,02,551              | -                                                       | 0.00                                                    | 2,02,551                                                 | 100                                                      | 240                            |
| 15.      | Nagapattinam    | 1,57,116              | 22,823                                                  | 14.50                                                   | 1,09,164                                                 | 69.48                                                    | 44                             |
| 16.      | Namakkal        | 3,62,228              | 58,650                                                  | 16.66                                                   | 3,62,228                                                 | 100                                                      | 294                            |
| 17.      | Nilgiris        | 96,916                | 4,223                                                   | 4.36                                                    | 96,916                                                   | 100                                                      | 34                             |
| 18.      | Perambalur      | 1,46,735              | 19,113                                                  | 12.88                                                   | 1,36,769                                                 | 93.21                                                    | 100                            |
| 19.      | Pudukkottai     | 3,69,509              | 52,109                                                  | 14.06                                                   | 2,22,401                                                 | 60.19                                                    | 52                             |
| 20.      | Ramanathapuram  | 3,32,191              | 30,311                                                  | 9.09                                                    | 1,55,196                                                 | 46.72                                                    | 22                             |
| 21.      | Ranipet         | 1,89,334              | 85,630                                                  | 45.23                                                   | 1,89,334                                                 | 100.00                                                   | 278                            |
| 22.      | Salem           | 6,46,114              | 52,535                                                  | 8.11                                                    | 5,74,316                                                 | 88.89                                                    | 166                            |
| 23.      | Sivaganga       | 3,27,234              | 57,739                                                  | 17.35                                                   | 2,53,781                                                 | 77.55                                                    | 177                            |
| 24.      | Tenkasi         | 3,42,341              | 64,652                                                  | 18.96                                                   | 2,49,035                                                 | 72.75                                                    | 75                             |
| 25.      | Thanjavur       | 4,21,955              | 1,51,249                                                | 35.84                                                   | 4,21,955                                                 | 100                                                      | 594                            |
| 26.      | Theni           | 1,85,013              | 54,638                                                  | 29.53                                                   | 1,85,013                                                 | 100                                                      | 82                             |
| 27.      | Thoothukudi     | 3,65,524              | 36,905                                                  | 10.34                                                   | 3,21,141                                                 | 87.86                                                    | 220                            |
| 28.      | Tiruchirappalli | 4,72,403              | 1,28,756                                                | 27.20                                                   | 4,44,751                                                 | 94.15                                                    | 323                            |
| 29.      | Tirunelveli     | 2,80,255              | 40,712                                                  | 14.31                                                   | 2,46,803                                                 | 88.06                                                    | 95                             |
| 30.      | Tirupathur      | 2,12,012              | 66,713                                                  | 30.94                                                   | 2,12,012                                                 | 100                                                      | 160                            |
| 31.      | Tiruppur        | 4,56,206              | 1,56,268                                                | 34.20                                                   | 4,30,121                                                 | 94.28                                                    | 203                            |
| 32.      | Tiruvallur      | 4,75,915              | 58,409                                                  | 12.27                                                   | 4,75,915                                                 | 100                                                      | 452                            |
| 33.      | Tiruvannamalai  | 5,30,392              | 85,300                                                  | 16.07                                                   | 5,29,632                                                 | 99.86                                                    | 814                            |
| 34.      | Tiruvarur       | 3,04,730              | 63,898                                                  | 20.94                                                   | 2,47,639                                                 | 81.27                                                    | 229                            |
| 35.      | Vellore         | 2,12,528              | 72,771                                                  | 34.24                                                   | 2,12,528                                                 | 100.00                                                   | 241                            |
| 36.      | Villupuram      | 4,37,317              | 5,213                                                   |                                                         | 4,37,317                                                 | 100                                                      | 675                            |
| 37.      | Virudhunagar    | 4,68,993              | 44,141                                                  | 1.18 9.34                                               | 4,31,476                                                 | 92.00                                                    | 258                            |
|          | Total           | 1,25,25,747           | 21,76,071                                               | 17.37                                                   | 1,12,22,200                                              | 89.59                                                    | 8,290                          |

Source: JJM - IMIS