A tap for every home: India adds 20 mn water connections in a single year

India added nearly 20 million tap water connections in a single year, taking the total coverage to over 51 million, pushed by the Jal Jeevan Mission launched during the last Independence Day. Providing all households with piped water connection by 2024 means covering another 138 million homes.

The challenge is bigger in some states, especially Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, where less than 

5 per cent population has access to tap water.

Only nine districts in the country boast a tap connection in each household. The Jal Shakti Ministry has projected that Bihar, Goa, Puducherry and Telangana would have achieved full coverage by the end of 2021 under the Mission. The last three already have around 87 to 98 per cent coverage. With the bulk of the target set closer to the finishing line, most states would have to ramp up their efforts much more if the deadline is to be met.