100% Tap Water Coverage Achieved in SC-Dominated Rural Gujarat

Gandhinagar : Gujarat is among the select states in the country that have achieved 100% tap water coverage in SC-dominated rural areas.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, the Gujarat Government has achieved 100% tap water supply in the state’s SC-dominated rural areas under the Jal Jeevan Mission. To accomplish this, the state government laid a 6,000 km long pipeline at a cost of ₹412 crore, ensuring access to clean drinking water through tap connections for more than 68,000 SC households.

More than 172 lakh Scheduled Caste (SC) households in rural India now have access to clean drinking water through tap connections. This achievement marks an important step toward ensuring water as a fundamental right and essential resource for every citizen. This information was shared recently in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna.

Notably, since August 2019, the Government of India, in collaboration with states, has been implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which has also incorporated the previous National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). The mission aims to provide every rural household, especially those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, with a functional tap connection delivering 55 liters per person per day (lpcd) of BIS:10500 standard clean drinking water. To prioritize SC-dominated rural areas, 10% weightage has been given in the JJM fund allocation.

A key contributor to this achievement has been WASMO (Water and Sanitation Management Organization), a state-run body under the Water Distribution Department. WASMO works closely with rural water committees to develop internal water supply plans, ensuring that every SC household receives a functional tap connection.

To achieve a 100% tap water supply in SC-dominated rural areas, the Gujarat Government took a sensitive initiative by waiving the 10% community cost contribution included in the total project cost. The state government fully bore this expense, ensuring that economically weaker families do not face any additional financial burden and can easily access clean drinking water.