New Delhi, Jun 19 (IANS): The Centre has allocated Rs 5,601 crore to Assam under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for 2021-22, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said on Saturday.
In 2020-21, the central government had allocated Rs 1,608.51 crore to the state under the Jal Jeevan Mission that aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households by 2024.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has assured full assistance to Assam for making provision of tap water supply in every rural home by 2024.
First tranche of Rs 700 crore was also released to Assam.
As per the Ministry of Jal Shakti, at the start of the Mission in 2019, out of a total of 19.20 crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 Crore (17 per cent) had tap water supply.
During the last 22 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, JJM has been implemented with speed and 4.32 crore households have been provided with piped connections.
"With the increase in coverage by 22 per cent, presently 7.56 crore (39.38 per cent) rural households across the country have tap water supply. Goa, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry have achieved 100 per cent household connection in rural areas and have become aHar Ghar Jal'," the Ministry said.
On August 15, 2019, at the time of launch of JJM only 1.11 lakh (1.76 per cent) households in Assam out of a total 63.35 lakh households in 25,335 villages, had tap water supply.
In the last 22 months, 6.88 lakh households (10.87 per cent) in Assam have been provided tap water connections, thus 7.99 lakh households (12.63 per cent) are having tap water supply.
The state has to provide tap water supply to the remaining 55.35 lakh households in the next three years.
To achieve this task, the State has planned to provide tap water connections to 22.63 lakh households in 2021-22, 20.84 lakh households in 2022-23, and 13.20 lakh tap water connections in 2023-24.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has assured the Union Minister of the speedy pace of implementation of JJM in the state.