Shillong: 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 Sept, the state public health engineering department said on Friday.The department said 75 rural water supply schemes were formally dedicated to communities through simultaneous Jal Arpan celebrations held across the state on Oct 1 and 2.Of the 7,795 Jal Jeevan Mission schemes in Meghalaya, 6,195 have been physically completed, the PHE department said.The Jal Arpan events were held across districts and divisions as community-led dedications of completed water supply infrastructure to citizens, the department said. Local communities, village water and sanitation committees, public representatives, schoolchildren, district administrations and PHE officials took part in the events.The department said the celebrations reflected a shared commitment to safe and sustainable drinking water access and highlighted the role of communities and govt institutions in strengthening rural water security.The statewide events covered schemes across all 12 districts: 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 75 schemes include newly commissioned, augmented and upgraded rural water supply systems that are now serving communities across the state, the department said. Their completion contributes to Meghalaya’s progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has expanded access to household tap water connections in rural areas.The department said the Jal Arpan celebrations also reinforced the importance of community ownership, operation and maintenance of water supply assets, water-quality monitoring and source sustainability.Meghalaya’s “Catchment-to-Tap” approach continues to guide efforts to ensure reliable and climate-resilient drinking water services, with community participation in protecting and managing local water resources, the department said.The PHE department said it remains committed to strengthening service delivery under JJM 2.0 by ensuring that completed infrastructure translates into regular, adequate and safe drinking water supply for rural households while promoting the long-term sustainability of water sources and community-managed water systems.
