J&K achieves 81 per cent tap water coverage under JJM: Centre

New Delhi, Aug 7: The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched by the Government of India, has made significant strides in Jammu & Kashmir, with 15.6 lakh rural households (approximately 81% of the total rural households) now having access to tap water as of June 2025.
However, despite the notable progress, there remains a gap in providing 100% coverage to all villages, with only 1,293 villages achieving the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ status, highlighting that 100% of rural households in these villages now have tap water.
This information was shared by the Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
As per the latest figures, the total number of rural households (HHs) in J&K stands at 19.26 lakh, of which 5.75 lakh (around 29.88%) had access to tap water at the commencement of the JJM in August 2019.
The Minister also addressed complaints related to the mission’s implementation, revealing that J&K had received complaints concerning defective faucets and insufficient water supply in certain regions. Since water supply is a state subject, grievances related to such issues are typically handled at the state level and are forwarded to local authorities for resolution.
Additionally, citizens can lodge complaints on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), which are subsequently forwarded to the concerned state departments for corrective action.
Despite the progress made, several challenges remain in fully implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission in the region. These include inadequate water sources in certain water-stressed areas, Geographic difficulties and scattered rural populations, which make the installation of infrastructure challenging.
Limited technical capacity at the local level, including Gram Panchayats and local communities, to properly manage and maintain water supply systems. Delays in obtaining statutory clearances and issues related to the matching state share for funding.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has also taken several steps to address these challenges, including financial assistance through interest-free loans, coordination with other ministries for obtaining clearances and the introduction of the ‘Nal Jal Mitra Programme’ to ensure the availability of skilled local personnel for water management.
To ensure the continued success of JJM, the Ministry has recommended measures like source recharging, rainwater harvesting and the reuse of greywater in a bid to conserve and manage water resources more efficiently.
The government is also encouraged to collaborate with other national programs like the MGNREGS and Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) for better water resource management. (KNO)