Rajouri (J&K), February 23 – In a landmark achievement for the remote hilly areas of Rajouri district in J&K, more than 14,000 people in its Kotranka subdivision are receiving piped water at their homes for the first time since independence, under the Central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission scheme.
Villages including Mowra, Jaglano, Khadyoon, Upper Kandi, Lower Kandi, Hubbi, Mowra-B, and Phalni have now been included in this ambitious project. Residents have expressed immense gratitude to the Central government, stating that the scheme has transformed their daily lives.
Speaking to IANS, locals from the Jaglano Panchayat, including women and the former Sarpanch, shared that earlier they had to walk long distances for hours to fetch water from rivers, streams, and natural springs. They described the scheme as a blessing, saying it has significantly reduced their hardships and brought much-needed relief to households.
Usha Devi, speaking to IANS, said: "We are very happy that we have received this facility. It is really beneficial for all of us. Earlier, we faced many difficulties as we had to travel for more than an hour to fetch water. This scheme is truly great."
Sarpanch Muhammad Jameel said: "This scheme has brought tremendous benefits to our area. We were facing many difficulties earlier, but under this scheme, we are now getting significant relief."
Sudesh Bhagat, Executive Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department in Rajouri, informed that projects worth crores of rupees have been successfully completed under the scheme, ensuring a clean drinking water supply to more than 14,000 beneficiaries. He added that work on additional projects is ongoing and assured that the remaining households will soon be covered under the mission.
The Jal Jeevan Mission has thus emerged as a major step toward improving basic infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life in the far-flung areas of Rajouri district.
India has achieved a significant milestone under the Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal), with over 81 per cent of rural households now having access to clean tap water. As of October 22, 2025, more than 15.72 crore rural homes are receiving safe drinking water through household taps, marking a major step toward universal water security in rural India. Under the Mission, the government has approved support to states and Union Territories with a central outlay of Rs 2,08,652 crore, which has been largely utilized.
The Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019, with the vision of providing tap water to every rural household. At that time, only 3.23 crore households (16.71 per cent) had access to tap water. Since then, 12.48 crore additional households have been connected, marking one of the fastest expansions of basic infrastructure in rural India.
The Mission gives equal emphasis to sustainability and community participation. It includes source sustainability measures such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting. It is implemented through a community-based approach, with Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities as key components to create awareness and ownership. The Mission seeks to build a jan andolan (people’s movement) for water, making it a shared national priority.