SRINAGAR: More than two-thirds of rural households in Jammu district have been provided with tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with coverage rising from 25.79 per cent in August 2019 to 66.71 per cent as of July 15, 2026, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Replying to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 903 tabled by MP Jugal Kishore, Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna said that out of 1.89 lakh rural households in Jammu district, more than 1.26 lakh households now have tap water supply after over 0.77 lakh new household connections were provided under the JJM.
The minister said drinking water is a State subject, with State and Union Territory governments responsible for planning, implementing, operating and maintaining drinking water supply schemes, while the Centre provides technical and financial assistance through the mission.
The government also informed the House that under AMRUT 2.0, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has taken up 16 projects worth Rs 137.88 crore, including operation and maintenance costs, covering water supply and water body rejuvenation in the districts of Jammu, Rajouri, Reasi and Samba.
On irrigation, the Ministry said three projects—Rajpora Lift Irrigation Project, Tral Lift Irrigation Project and the Restoration and Modernisation of the Main Ravi Canal—have been completed in Jammu and Kashmir under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana–Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP). These projects have created an additional irrigation potential of 6.52 thousand hectares and developed a command area of 2.28 thousand hectares since 2016.
The minister further stated that the Atal Bhujal Yojana was a pilot scheme and was not implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to questions on future measures, the government said the Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission until December 2028 with an enhanced outlay under JJM 2.0, aimed at structural reforms in the rural drinking water sector. However, no new piped water supply schemes will be sanctioned under JJM 2.0, except in PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA areas, where proposals will be examined by an inter-ministerial committee in accordance with existing guidelines.
The government added that since 2019, funding under the JJM has given 30 per cent weightage to difficult terrain, including drought-prone and water-scarce areas, and States and Union Territories have been encouraged to undertake source recharge, rainwater harvesting and rejuvenation of water bodies through convergence with other government schemes.
