Haryana is geared up to provide tap water connection to all rural households by December 2022, ahead of the national goal by 2024-25, a statement said on Wednesday.

The state provided 1.05 lakh tap connections during 2019-20 under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Now the state is planning 100 per cent coverage by December 2022, a government statement said.

By doing so, Haryana will be among the leading states to accomplish the ambitious target of providing tap connection to each rural household.

Presenting their action plan to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation on Tuesday for achieving the goal of every household with tap water supply under the JJM, state officials said there are 28.94 lakh households in Haryana, out of which 18.83 lakh are already provided with functional household tap connection.

Out of the remaining 10.11 lakh households, the state plans to provide tap connections in seven lakh households by 2020-21.

In the current year, the state is planning for 100 per cent coverage of one district and 2,898 villages out of total 6,987 villages.

More emphasis has been given to cover rural households in drought prone areas and aspirational districts. The state is likely to get Rs 290 crore as Central share under JJM for this fiscal, which will be supplemented by same amount of state’s matching share.

The state is eligible for additional allocation based on physical and financial performance.

Out of 44 water testing laboratories, the state plans National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation of 18 labs in the current year.

Field testing kits will be provided at community level for testing of water quality for taking corrective measures. The state has planned to provide drinking water to all 35 quality-affected habitations.

During this testing time of Covid-19 pandemic, such attempts to provide household tap connections in rural areas will definitely improve the ease of living especially the women and girls, reducing their drudgery, making them safe and lead a dignified life.

The government of India is implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in partnership with states to ensure every rural household in the country has functional household tap connection for drinking water in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis at affordable service delivery charges leading to improvement in their living standards.