The sunny state of Goa is now being credited as the first state in the country to provide 100% tap water connections in its rural households, under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Goa’s rural area covers around 2.30 such houses, according to the Jal Shakti Ministry. After undertaking a lot of measures for the effective use of the Water Life Mission, Goa’s Chief Minister has announced that now all rural households in the state will have seamless tap water supply. The government’s Jal Jeevan Mission also aims to provide piped water to all rural households by 2024.
14 water quality testing laboratories coming up in Goa
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims at improving the quality of life in the rural communities and keeping that as the crux of the venture, the Chief Minister of Goa announced that all rural households in the state will now have tap water supply. Earlier in June this year, the Union Jal Shakti Minister wrote to the state’s CM, expressing his happiness on the state’s annual action plan to provide 100% tap water connections in rural areas by 2021. According to reports, the North and South district of Goa are “fully saturated” with guaranteed piped water supply through tap connections.
The Jal Shakti Ministry was quoted saying, “Goa has earned itself a unique distinction of being the first country Jal Har Ghar in this country because it managed to give 100 percent functional household tap connections (FHTCs) in rural areas covering 2.30 lakh rural households.” Further, to strengthen water testing facilities, Goa is in the process of getting 14 water quality testing laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the authorities have issued orders to train five people in every village, especially women, in using field test kits so that the water can be tested in the localities. There are also plans for sensor-based service delivery monitoring system, which would further assist in monitoring the functionality of water supply.
