January ’24 deadline to complete target: Minister
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 22: The physical progress of the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Meghalaya is 56.39%, Public Health Engineering Minister, Marcuise N Marak said on Tuesday.
He told reporters tap connections have been provided to 3,67,447 households out of the targeted 6,51,556 households so far.
“We have been given a deadline of January 2024 to provide tap connections to all the targeted households,” Marak said.
He said the department is now waiting for power connection in some villages in East Khasi Hills, East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, South West Khasi Hills and in some districts in Garo Hills.
He said as the laying of pipes has already been completed, the department will be able to provide tap connections to around 80,000 households once there is power connection.
He said there is no issue with funds. He said funds will be released as the soon they raise the matter with the Centre.
“Our main focus and priority are to meet the deadline set by the Centre,” Marak said.
A flagship programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2019, JJM aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households in rural India by 2024.
In April, the Ministry of Jal Shakti sanctioned an additional grant-in-aid of Rs 299.24 crore for Meghalaya for the third straight year for providing functional household tap connections under JJM.
Meghalaya is the only state to receive the bonus package for the third consecutive year for successfully implementing JJM.