Guwahati, May 1: The progress of centrally-sponsored schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBMG) in the North-eastern states were reviewed by Union minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat during a meeting here on Monday.
Apart from the status of JJM in the Northeastern states, aspects such as the quality of implementation, operation and maintenance, schemes handed over to the panchayats, et al, were discussed during the meeting.
Besides, the issues under the ambit of SBMG where the status of ODF (open defecation free) plus in villages, waste management in villages, etc were discussed threadbare.
Reviewing the progress of the schemes, the Union minister urged the states to meet the targets at the earliest.
“The north-eastern states have made remarkable development in respect of JJM. A state like Assam which started with just one percent development is now touching 50 percent progress under JJM,” Shekhawat said.
He further said he expected the Northeastern states to achieve 100 percent development under JJM by the end of 2024.
A brochure, operational guidelines and JalDoot Diary for the JalDoot Programme in Assam were also released on the occasion. Notably, the JalDoot Programme is a unique initiative of JJM Assam to harness the role of students in sensitising the rural masses on the importance of safe drinking water and its management.
The programme aims to orient students of Classes VIII to XII on safe management of water, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) practices that focusses on drinking water security and management; and functionality assessment of the PWSS (pipe water supply schemes) following a structured training module developed under JJM, Assam.
A handbook on best practices of SBM-G, Assam was also released by the Union minister in the presence of all the dignitaries and delegates of the Northeast states.