Assam aims to provide potable water to every household by 2024, says PHED Minister

The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister of Assam, Jayanta Mallabaruah, expressed confidence in achieving the goal of providing potable water to every household in the state by 2024. Speaking at a meeting held in Guwahati, Minister Mallabaruah announced the completion of 50 per cent of Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Assam. The orientation meeting was conducted for newly recruited Class III and Class IV employees of the Public Health Engineering Department.

Minister Mallabaruah revealed that out of the total 67,95,311 households in Assam, a remarkable 34,01,097 households now have access to safe drinking water. He emphasized that the mission is dedicatedly working to fulfill its target of providing potable water to all households in the state. The minister acknowledged the initial challenges faced by Assam in making progress with FHTCs but highlighted the state's commendable efforts in recent years. Assam has achieved significant milestones, such as the formation of Village Water & Sanitation Committees, training various stakeholders, and skill development for operation and maintenance in identified villages.

Minister Mallabaruah expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming the Jal Jeevan Mission into a national movement for water. He also thanked Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma for their constant guidance and support throughout the implementation phase.
Assam, which had only 1.64% of households with tap water connections since independence, has witnessed a remarkable surge in recent years. Under Prime Minister Modi's Jal Jeevan Mission, initiated in August 2019, the proportion of households with tap water connections has skyrocketed to 50.05%.

Addressing the newly recruited 239 Class III and Class IV employees of the Public Health Engineering Department, Minister Mallabaruah urged them to work with dedication and enthusiasm. Recognizing their recruitment based on merit, he emphasized the importance of their role in achieving better results for the department and maintaining the progress achieved by the Jal Jeevan Mission in Assam.