Meghalaya qualify for performance incentive grant under JJM

The other states include – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura and Himachal Pradesh

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat approved Rs 1,982 Crore as performance incentive to these States, wherein Arunachal Pradesh has received Rs 542 Crore, Manipur Rs 120 Crore, Meghalaya Rs 400 Crore, Sikkim Rs 70 Crore, Tripura Rs 100 Crore and Himachal Pradesh has received Rs 750 Crore.

The provision of performance incentive fund under Jal Jeevan Mission has generated a healthy competition among States/ UTs, which will help in speedy implementation and assured water supply under this mission. The mission aims to provide household tap water connection to every rural home by 2024.

Despite COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns and disruption in the last two years, implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission is going on smoothly and during the financial year, more than 2.05 Crore rural households have been provided tap water connection. Presently, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Haryana, Puducherry and Telangana have become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ States/ UT and every household in 106 districts and 1.44 lakh villages of the country, have tap water supply.

Since announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission on 15th August, 2019, so far, more than 6.10 Crore households have been provided with tap water connections, thus increasing the tap water supply from 3.23 Crore (17%) to more than 9.34 Crore (48.3%) rural households in the country.

The budget for Jal Jeevan Mission for 2022-23 has been enhanced to Rs 60,000 Crore. To plan and prepare for water supply work on such a scale, and to appraise stakeholders on the road ahead, on 23rd February, 2022, a post-budget webinar was held. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State Prahlad Singh Patel and leaders from industry, academic institutions, civil society and WASH experts shared their views/ suggestions on ways to expedite the implementation. To push the planned works further, the Union Minister is visiting States as well as discussing with States to expedite works. 3 Regional conferences under the chairmanship of Shekhawat were held recently in February and March in different regions to address the challenges, if any, and encourage States/ UTs to focus on execution in JJM’s spirit of decentralization, community-managed, and demand-driven programme. Stakeholder consultations are also being held to resolve various impediments in the implementation.

Himachal Pradesh Government has gone for intensive village-wise planning and implementation to ensure assured tap water supply to rural homes. North Eastern States, despite hilly terrain and forested areas, have implemented JJM with speed and scale. 5 NE States have qualified for performance incentive grants.

Union Minister Shekhawat had a number of review meetings as well as visits to NE States to expedite the implementation.

The National Jal Jeevan Mission sent a number of multi-disciplinary teams of experts to help these States to plan better and implement with speed.

By Our Reporter