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Tap water connections for rural households in India have increased fivefold over the last five years, according to a report by SBI.
The report attributes this remarkable progress to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched on August 15, 2019, with the aim of providing tap water to every rural household by 2024. According to the report's data, rural households with tap water connections reached 15.20 crore in October 2024. At the time of the JJM's launch, only 3.23 crore rural households had access to tap water. "As of October 10, 2024, JJM has successfully provided tap water connections to an additional 11.96 crore rural households, bringing the total coverage to over 15.20 crore households, which accounts for 78.62 per cent of all rural households in India," the report stated. Over the past five years, the initiative has made significant progress, supplying tap water to an additional 11.96 crore households, raising the total to over 15.20 crore rural homes. The mission aims to provide tap water connections to all 19.34 crore rural households by 2024. The impact of this achievement has been profound. Reliable access to potable water in rural areas has greatly improved the quality of life, reducing the burden on women and children, who previously had to spend long hours fetching water. It has also led to improved health outcomes, as access to clean water reduces the risk of waterborne diseases. The Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented with a total outlay of Rs 3.60 lakh crore. The central government is contributing Rs 2.08 lakh crore, while the remaining Rs 1.52 lakh crore is being shared by the states. With the mission well on its way to achieving its goal, the government is working to cover the remaining rural households by 2024, ensuring access to safe drinking water for all. (ANI)
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