More than 5.47 lakh rural households in Meghalaya have been provided functional tap-water connections, taking coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission to 84% as of September, the state Public Health Engineering department said on Friday.
The department said 75 rural water-supply schemes were formally dedicated to communities during simultaneous Jal Arpan celebrations held across Meghalaya on October 1 and 2. The schemes include newly commissioned, augmented and upgraded systems serving communities across the state.
Of the 7,795 Jal Jeevan Mission schemes in Meghalaya, 6,195 have been physically completed, according to the department. The latest figures indicate that the state’s rural water programme is moving beyond the construction of individual connections to the completion and commissioning of larger supply systems.
The Jal Arpan events were organised across all 12 districts and divisions as community-led dedications of completed water infrastructure. Local communities, village water and sanitation committees, public representatives, schoolchildren, district administrations and PHE officials participated in the events, the department said.
The districts covered were Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, Ri-Bhoi, East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills.
The department said the celebrations were intended to highlight shared responsibility for safe and sustainable drinking-water access. It also emphasised the role of village institutions and government agencies in operating and maintaining rural water assets, monitoring water quality and protecting water sources.
Meghalaya’s “Catchment-to-Tap” approach continues to guide the state’s rural water-supply efforts, according to the PHE department. The approach links household tap connections with the protection and management of local water resources, including through community participation.
The department said the 75 dedicated schemes represent progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has expanded household tap-water access in rural areas. However, the figures released by the department distinguish between physical completion of schemes and the broader requirement of providing regular, adequate and safe water services to households.
The PHE department said it would continue strengthening service delivery under JJM 2.0. Its stated priorities include ensuring that completed infrastructure translates into regular water supply, maintaining the sustainability of local sources and supporting community-managed water systems across Meghalaya.
