Newmai News Network
Shillong: Meghalaya reached a monumental milestone, surpassing the national average in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), achieving 72.37 per cent connections. This accomplishment signifies a remarkable transformative vision, with the state moving from a mere 0.7 per cent of households with tap water connections in 2019 to an impressive 72.37 per cent in 2023.
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Meghalaya’s achievement of 4,71,544 connections is a testament to the dedicated efforts of the government in realizing this transformative vision. As of August 15, 2019, Meghalaya had 4,550 households (0.70 per cent) with tap water connections. To quantify this achievement, Meghalaya has grown from under 5,000 tap water connections in 2019 to a state of nearing 5 lakh connections.
Reflecting on this transformative journey, chief minister Conrad K Sangma said, “Today, Meghalaya has crossed the national average in terms of connections for Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). If you recall when we started the mission, Meghalaya was at 0.75 percent which was the lowest in the country. Today, after a lot of hard work being done by all the engineers, officials, departments and ministers, we have finally crossed the national average which is 72.1 per cent and Meghalaya today is at 72.37 per cent. We are very sure that in a very short time, we will be able to fulfil the 100 per cent target. We may be one of the first few states to complete it. But while we say this, there are many challenges to be addressed.”
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“Apart from giving connections, we have challenges pertaining to the water source. Hence, we are working with all concerned departments such as Water Resources, Soil Conservation, Forest Department, and others to see how we could mitigate and adapt to these kinds of challenges that we are facing. However, I am happy that we have finally crossed the national average in terms of connections and would really like to congratulate the concerned minister and the entire team, especially the engineers, officials and contractors who have made this possible,” he added.
Public Health Engineering Department minister Marcuise Marak expressed the government’s commitment to achieving 100 per cent connections in the Jal Jeevan Mission. He emphasized, “I am overjoyed to announce that Meghalaya has achieved a major milestone in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) implementation. With 4,71,544 connections today, our state proudly outperforms the national average of 72.1% with an astounding 72.37 per cent.”
He said, “This accomplishment is a result of our communities’ and stakeholders’ combined efforts. Our joint dedication to supplying Meghalayan households with readily available water supplies is the reason for this achievement. Let us move forward, adopting sustainable methods and encouraging community involvement, guided by the vision of our renowned chief minister Conrad K Sangma. By working together, we can create a Meghalaya in which every resident has uninterrupted access to clean water.”
This achievement underscores Meghalaya’s commitment to improving the lives of its citizens and achieving the overarching goals of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The state remains steadfast in its pursuit of ensuring water connections for every rural household, contributing significantly to the success of this flagship program.
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