Tap water connections for all rural houses in Gujarat by 2022: CM Vijay Rupani

The Gujarat government is aiming to provide functional household tap water connections to all rural households by 2022 under the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Sunday.

The JJM envisions to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.

"Gujarat will ensure supply of safe drinking water to all the households in five districts of Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Porbandar, Botad, and Vadodara by October 2 this year," an official release quoted Rupani as saying.

Earlier, Rupani and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat held a review meeting via video conference, the release said.

Out of 93.03 lakh households in rural Gujarat, tap water connectivity is already available in as many as 68.63 lakh rural households, the state government said.

The government intends to provide this connectivity to the additional 11.15 lakh households by 2020-21.

The connectivity has so far been made available to 2.46 lakh families since April 1 this year, it said.

"Gujarat intends to complete the mission of providing 100 per cent functional household tap water connection by 2022 under the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)," the CM said.

He said Gujarat has successfully implemented a decentralised, demand-based and community-run water distribution programme of Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO), the SPV (special purpose vehicle) of the state government, which has ensured that over 70 per cent households are connected to safe drinking water.

The Central government has allocated Rs 883.08 crore to Gujarat for the scheme for the year 2020-21. With the state's contribution, a total Rs 1,777.56 crore has been made available, the release said.

Local self-governance organisations in Gujarat have been granted Rs 3,195 crore by the 15th Financial Commission, out of which 50 per cent (of the grant) is to be set aside for water resources and sanitation, it said.

"The state has also implemented an Internet of Things (IOT)-based Sensor Monitoring System on a pilot basis in 1,000 villages, to monitor water resource situations online. The facility will be made available to other villages upon the success of the pilot project," it said.