Rural tap water connections rose from 17% to 82% since launch of Jal Jeevan Mission: President

President Murmu highlights the rise of rural tap water connections from 17% to 82% since the Jal Jeevan Mission's launch.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) said that a whopping 82% of rural households now have tap water connections, against 17% in 2019 when the Jal Jeevan Mission was launched.

Addressing the Jal Mahotsav programme, the President said water is not merely a basic facility in India but is deeply connected to the country’s culture, traditions, livelihoods and community life.

“It is a matter of great satisfaction that currently about 82% of rural households have access to tap water, whereas in 2019, when the Jal Jeevan Mission was launched, this figure was only 17%. For this extraordinary success, I congratulate Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and his entire team,” she said.

“Water is the basis of life. In our traditions, water has been revered as a remedy for many ailments. In our national song Vande Mataram — whose 150th anniversary of composition we are commemorating — the very first word is ‘Sujalam’, which means ‘abundant in good water resources’. Thus, in India, water has never been merely a basic facility; it is deeply connected with our culture, traditions, livelihoods and community life,” she added.

Pointing out that earlier rural households had to struggle for access to drinking water and that women and children often had to travel long distances to fetch it, President Murmu said that today, clean and safe water reaches homes, reflecting the success of the Jal Jeevan Mission.

The President also emphasised the role of technology in improving water governance, noting that platforms such as the Sujalam Bharat App, real-time dashboards and decision support systems are ensuring transparent monitoring and effective planning.