Tripura Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) Minister Sushanta Chowdhury Thursday said the state has provided safe drinking water connections to 53 percent households in the villages under the Jal Jeevan Mission against 3.30 percent coverage of such connections in 2019.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a clear mandate, which is to provide 100 percent drinking water connection to the households. We have completed 53 percent in the villages till now and are hoping to achieve 60 percent by the next fortnight,” the minister said.
Stating the Centre has a clear mandate to complete providing 100 percent safe drinking water connections by December this year, the DWS minister said the Tripura government hopes to achieve 60 percent coverage by the next 20 days.
“Work is going on in full swing, at war footing across the state. The order is clear to complete providing safe drinking water connections by December. We have no doubt we shall complete the target by December this year,” he said.
Chowdhury further said there is no dearth of funds for fulfilling the target, adding the Central Jal Sampad Ministry provided Rs. 166 crore to Tripura to meet the target deadline.
Tripura has 7,41,945 families spread across 8,710 rural habitations in eight districts. Out of these, 3,90,735 habitations living in 1,238 habitations were provided 100 percent safe drinking water connections in 29 gram panchayats and ADC village committees.
However, as per the government figures, work is in progress at 1,135 habitations and 1,140 gram panchayats and ADC village committees where safe drinking water connections are yet to be provided.
Also, the work has not been started yet at 241 habitations and seven gram panchayats and village committees.
Prior to the Jal Jeevan Mission, 24,502 families in the villages had drinking water connections at 3.30 percent in 2019.
