Meghalaya shifts Jal Jeevan Mission focus from tap connections to reliable water supply

Meghalaya has shifted the focus of its Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 implementation from expanding household tap connections to ensuring that existing schemes provide regular, adequate and safe drinking water.

The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department said the state had provided tap-water connections to 5,47,869 rural households, or 84 per cent of the 6,50,854 rural households, as of September 6, 2026. This is a sharp rise from 4,550 households, or 1 per cent coverage, recorded in August 2019.

However, the next phase of the mission will focus on whether completed infrastructure is actually delivering water to households. The department said ground-level assessments are being carried out to identify gaps in tap availability, regularity and adequacy of supply, with corrective measures to be taken where required.

The state currently has 7,795 JJM schemes, of which 6,195 have been physically completed, according to the department. Arrangements are also being strengthened for schemes moving into the operation and maintenance phase, including a policy framework for maintaining water-supply assets after completion.

The department is also consolidating scheme, asset and financial data through digital systems to improve reporting, planning and the resolution of field-level problems.

Water-source sustainability has emerged as another key component of JJM 2.0. Meghalaya has identified 785 critical water sources for rejuvenation and mapped around 55,000 springs and 70,000 spring sheds. The state is also working on a Payment for Ecosystem Services model aimed at encouraging communities to protect water sources and forest ecosystems.

Under the Meg ARISE initiative, catchments across 180 villages are being restored to strengthen climate-resilient water sources. The department said the work is intended to secure household water supply while protecting the natural sources on which rural water systems depend.

The state is also expanding water-quality monitoring. According to the department, 31,829 women across villages have been trained to conduct water-quality tests using Field Test Kits, alongside laboratory and field-level testing.

The emphasis under JJM 2.0, therefore, is moving beyond the number of connections created to the quality, reliability and long-term sustainability of rural water services.