Jal Jeevan Mission. Only 2 districts in Tamil Nadu have 100% tap water supply for rural households

Only two districts in Tamil Nadu—Ranipet and Kanchipuram—have achieved 100 per cent tap water supply for rural households. On the other hand, Nagapattinam ranks lower on the chart with only 10.51 per cent coverage. Overall, 62.76 per cent of rural households in the State have tap water supply, according to data provided by the government to the Rajya Sabha.

At the time of launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission, about 21.76 lakh (17.34 per cent) rural households in Tamil Nadu had tap water supply. As on March 22, 2023, an additional 57 lakh rural households were provided tap water supply under the scheme.

In other words, out of the total 1.25 crore rural households in the State, 78.77 lakh (62.76 per cent) households have tap water connections to their homes.

Since August 2019, the Centre, in partnership with States/ Union Territories, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for making provision of tap water supply to every rural household. Under JJM, each State/ UT prepares an annual action plan for every financial year.

Tamil Nadu, in its annual action plan for 2023-24, has planned to provide tap water supply to 19.26 lakh rural households.

Under the JJM, the responsibility of planning and implementation lies with States/ UTs, while the Centre provides financial and technical assistance. Tamil Nadu has planned to cover all rural households by December 2024.

Since water is a State subject, the responsibility for planning and implementing piped water supply schemes lies with State governments. The Centre, has been providing technical and financial assistance to States based on the projects approved in the States.

The Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department’s 2022-23 policy note says that under JJM, nine combined water supply schemes (CWSS) covering 2,375 rural habitations and three hamlets of three town panchayats (with capital grant fund) in Thanjavur, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Tiruppathur, Karur, Erode and Tirunelveli, Tiruppathur, Karur, Erode and Salem districts are under various stages of implementation at an estimated cost of ₹1,377 crore. These schemes are designed for 1,28,883 functional household tap connections (FHTCs), benefitting 11.62 lakh population.

Under the new CWSS, the State government has accorded administrative sanction for 6 CWSS covering 1 municipality, 8 town panchayats and 1,442 rural habitations in Thiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli, Mayiladuthurai, Ranipet, Tirunelveli and Namakkal districts at an estimated cost of ₹2,327.53 crore under JJM and AMRUT 2.0. These schemes will be implemented during the 2022-23 to provide 136.34 MLD of water through 92,420 FHTCs to benefit a population of 11.28 lakh, the policy note says.

COMMENT NOW