HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 6: Union minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, announced on Thursday that the Northeastern states have made significant strides in the implementation of the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ (JJM).
“Assam, in particular, has achieved 54 percent progress, thanks to the efforts of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister Jayanta Malla Baruah,” the union minister said.
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Speaking at a press conference after chairing a review meeting with the Northeastern states on the progress of JJM and Swachh Bharat Mission, Grameen (SBM-G), Shekhawat urged the region to expedite the implementation of these flagship schemes. He expressed confidence that all Northeastern states, except Assam, will achieve the goal of 100 percent coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission by January 26, 2024. He added that he expects Assam to achieve the desired goal later in 2024.
Shekhawat emphasized the importance of sanitation and access to clean drinking water for the well-being of the people and the development of rural India. He acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to making India ‘open defecation free’, which has been successfully achieved. The focus is now on waste management, including solid waste, organic waste, plastic waste, and cow-dung management in villages.
The minister highlighted that 40 percent of villages in India have achieved open defecation free status, with Sikkim achieving 100 percent ODF status. Previously, 62 percent of the population lacked proper sanitation facilities, but now 100 percent of the country’s population has access to toilets, either at home or in the community. Shekhawat also mentioned that the country has made 64 percent progress in providing safe drinking water to its population.
The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households in India by 2024, ensuring the availability of clean drinking water and improving the quality of life for people in the Northeastern states and across the country.
