Lok Sabha Question No. 980 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-05
Subject: Availability of Drinking Water and Water Resources
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 980

ANSWERED ON 05/02/2026

## AVAILABILITY OF DRINKING WATER AND WATER RESOURCES

## †980.   SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:

## Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has assessed the current status of drinking water availability and water resources in the country and if so, the outcome thereof;

(b) whether the Government is working towards the goal of providing tap water to every rural household under the Jal Jeevan Mission; and

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the progress made so far in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (c) Since  August  2019,  Government  of  India,  in  partnership  with  States,  is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)-Har Ghar Jal to enable every rural household (at 55 lpcd,  BIS:10500  standard)  in  the  country,  to  have  assured  potable  water  through  tap connection.  Drinking  water  is  a  State  subject,  and  hence,  the  responsibility  of  planning, approval, implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, lies with the respective State/UT Governments.  The  Government  of  India  supports  the  States  by  providing  technical  and financial assistance.

As reported by State Governments, at the beginning of Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019,  around  3.24  Crore  (16.8%)  rural  households  were  reported  to  have  tap  water connection. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 02.02.2026, more than 12.55 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on 02.02.2026, out of 19.35 Crore rural households in the country, more than 15.79 Crore (81.59%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

The Government has taken a number of steps to plan towards the goal of providing tap water to every rural household under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the whole country with speed, inter alia including joint discussions and finalization of saturation plans and annual action plans (AAP) of States/ UTs, regular review of implementation, workshops/ conferences/ webinars  for capacity building, training, knowledge  sharing,  field visits by  multidisciplinary teams to provide technical support, etc. A detailed Operational Guideline for the

implementation  of  JJM;  Margdarshika  for  Gram  Panchayats  &  VWSCs  to  provide  safe drinking water in rural households and Guidelines on a special campaign to provide piped water supply in Anganwadi centers, Ashramshalas and schools have been shared with States/ UTs to facilitate planning and implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission. For online monitoring, JJM-Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and JJM-Dashboard has been put in place.

Considering the progress achieved so far and ongoing works, Hon'ble Finance Minister has  announced  extension  of  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  till  December  2028  with  enhanced  total outlay through budget announcements 2025-26.

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