New Delhi, The Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved a significant milestone of 50 per cent rural households having access to tap water connections, an official of the Ministry of Jal Shakti said here on Saturday.

Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry and Haryana have already achieved 100 per cent household connections. States of Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have coverage of more than 90 per cent and are progressing fast towards attaining the status of 'Har Ghar Jal', as per the official.

In a move to attain 'Gram Swarajya', the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, Jal Jeevan Mission aims at empowering the Panchayati Raj Institutions and communities by engaging them in water supply schemes from the very beginning. "Over 9.59 crore rural households spread across states/ UTs are getting water within their premises. Women and girls in these households are now free from the century old drudgery of walking long distances in scorching heat, rain and snow in search of water," he said.

'Har Ghar Jal' is a flagship programme of the Union Government, implemented by Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in partnership with states/UTs to ensure tap water connection in every rural household by 2024.

At the time of launch Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019, only 3.23 crore households i.e., 17 per cent of the rural population had access to drinking water through taps.

As on May 27, 108 districts, 1,222 blocks, 71,667 gram panchayats and 1,51,171 villages have become 'Har Ghar Jal', wherein all rural households have been provided with drinking water through taps.

This year, as the nation celebrates 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', special Gram Sabhas are being convened across the length and breadth of the country to discuss and deliberate on issues related to drinking water in a move to attain 'WASH Prabudh Gaon'.

Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, support is provided to Panchayats by the state government through Implementing Support Agencies (ISAs) in community engagement, building capacity of the Pani Samitis, and taking up O&M activities.