State assesses household tap functionality and prepares for Jal Jeevan 2.0

Shillong, August 18: The Meghalaya Government has reviewed the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and preparations for Jal Jeevan 2.0 (Phase II) with the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department and the JJM Meghalaya team.

As part of the follow-up to an earlier review meeting, officials assessed the functionality of household tap connections to determine actual water availability, identify gaps and evaluate coverage across blocks and districts.

The assessment found that 87.32 per cent of villages are receiving regular water supply, while 79.23 per cent receive water daily. A total of 71.74 per cent of villages meet adequacy requirements, according to the assessment.

The review identified 322 villages requiring focused attention to improve the reliability and performance of their water supply systems.

Improvement Plan for Non-Functional Connections

The meeting examined the reasons behind non-functional household tap connections and discussed a State Improvement Plan covering repairs, retrofitting, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs and the long-term sustainability of water supply schemes.

The Government said the focus would be on ensuring that tap connections provide more than physical connectivity, with households receiving reliable, adequate and regular water supply.

The review forms part of Meghalaya’s preparations for the next phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission, with emphasis on improving the functionality and sustainability of existing schemes across the state.