Chandigarh, Sep 6 (IANS): Adding another feather in its cap, Malerkotla and Faridkot districts in Punjab have secured a place in certified pan-India list by the Central government to provide Functional Household Tap Connections to every rural home under Jal Jeevan Mission-Har Ghar Jal.

Responding to the achievement, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said eight districts have been certified throughout the country by the Central government for 100 per cent population covered with piped water supply and Malerkotla and Faridkot secured the place among these districts.

He said it is a matter of pride for Punjab as two of the districts have been chosen for this rare distinction, adding in coming days four more districts are likely to get this certification.

Mann said Malerkotla, with a total rural population of 2.58 lakh, has covered 49,881 rural households with piped drinking water, while Faridkot with the total rural population of 4.09 lakh has covered 78,408 households with drinking water.

The Chief Minister said the state has already provided piped water to 34.24 lakh rural households under Jal Jeevan Mission and a total 11,933 villages and 20 districts have been covered with 100 per cent piped water supply.

Mann envisioned to cover 100 per cent area of the state up to December 2022 against the national target of 2024. He said the state has already provided tap connections to Aanganwadi centres, panchayats, dispensaries and schools.