Each rural household in Odisha to get piped water by 2024

New Delhi: Odisha has set a target to provide 100% functional household tap water connection in every rural household by 2023-24.

While presenting the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Annual Action Plan today via video conferencing, Odisha and Haryana States charted their plan of action for the financial year 2021-22 as well as the saturation plan for the States.

In 2021-22, Odisha plans to provide piped water supply in 29,749 schools and 43,727 Anganwadi Centre thereby ensuring that 100% tap water connection is provided in all the schools, ahsramshalas and anganwadi centre for drinking, cooking mid-day meal, handwashing and use in toilets.

Odisha has 85.66 lakh rural households, out of which tap connections are provided to 23.25 lakh households i.e. 27.15% of rural population in the State receives water through taps.

When the Jal Jeevan Mission started on August 15, 2019, only 3.63% of the people in the State had access to tap water. In the past one-and-a-half year, the JJM has ensured 20.15 lakh rural homes get safe drinking water through tap connections. Every household in 2,996 villages in Odisha are getting safe water for drinking water.

Odisha has declared its 57 panchayats as Har Ghar Jal ones; which means that all the households in these Panchayats have been provided with piped water connection.

In Odisha, Self-Help Group members were trained to conduct water quality surveillance- sanitary inspections of 4.64 lakh drinking water sources across the State. It is an important surveillance mechanism to test the water source and end point. Field Testing Kits are being provided at Panchayat level and handed over to the sub-committee constituted for carrying out frequent tests especially during pre and post monsoon for testing water quality for taking corrective measures.

The national committee suggested to focus on testing and treating contaminated water. Odisha plans NABL accreditation of 19 laboratories during the current year. During the Covid-19 pandemic situation, efforts to provide household tap connections in rural areas will definitely improve the ease of living especially of women and girls by reducing their drudgery and making them safe and leading a dignified life.

During the presentation, Haryana State reiterated their commitment to achieve the Jal Jeevan Mission target by November 1, 2022 i.e. Haryana Day, much ahead of the national deadline.

Haryana State has 31.03 lakh rural households, out of which 26.93 lakh (86.8%) rural households are provided with tap connections as on March 31, 2021. In 2021-22, the State plans to provide 4.09 lakh tap connections.