VISAKHAPATNAM: As many as 70,51,976 rural households in Andhra Pradesh now have access to tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission - Har Ghar Jal programme.
According to official data, the State has a total of 95,53,169 rural households, and the current coverage stands at 73.82%. When the programme was launched by the Central government in 2019, only 30,74,310 households (32.18%) had access to tap water. As of now, 25,01,193 households (26.18%) still await connections.
The initiative has seen 5,253 villages achieve 100% tap connections. Among the districts, YSR district has emerged as the top performer with 100% tap water connections, reaching all 3,29,890 rural households while Palnadu stands last with the lowest coverage of 35.55%, covering 1,53,564 of the total 2,80,835 households.
Tap water for rural households district-wise data: YSR - 100%, Annamayya and Chittoor - 99%, Tirupati - 99.82%, East Godavari - 92.27%, Eluru - 86.73%, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore- 86.70%, Sri Sathya Sai - 84.55%, West Godavari - 83.96%, Ananthapuram - 83.13%, Kakinada - 81.25%, Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema - 75.32%, Nandyal - 75.31%, Parvathipuram Manyam - 74.21%, Prakasam - 67.76%, Guntur - 67.73%, Vizianagaram - 67.68%, Visakhapatnam - 66.94%, Kurnool - 66.20, Anakapalle - 63.31, Alluri Sitarama Raju - 61.55%, NTR - 60%, Krishna - 59.35%, Srikakulam - 41.45%, Bapatla - 40.84%, Palnadu - 35.35%. Total: 73.83%.
Jal Jeevan Mission-Har Ghar Jal programme was launched to address the issue of water scarcity in rural areas with an aim to provide piped water supply to every rural household by 2024.
JJM focuses on community participation
It adopts a community-based approach, involving local communities in the planning, implementation, and maintenance of water supply systems.
It intends to leverage technology for efficient water management and monitoring. The focus extends beyond mere infrastructure development as the mission also prioritises water quality testing and ensuring sustainability through community participation.
The JJM recognises the diverse geographical and hydrological conditions across India, tailoring its strategies to suit local needs. It encourages water conservation practices, rainwater harvesting, and efficient water use. Financial support is provided to states to implement the mission effectively, and regular review mechanisms are put in place to track the progress. The mission also ensures that the water reaching households meets the standards, reducing waterborne diseases and improving overall health in rural communities.