Shillong, Sept 16: The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, Government of Meghalaya, is strengthening the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 across the State, with a renewed on ensuring reliable water supply from completed schemes, strengthening data and digital monitoring, improving operation and maintenance (O&M), enhancing water quality monitoring and promoting water-source sustainability.
Meghalaya has made significant progress under JJM, with rural household tap water coverage increasing from 4,550 households (1%) in August 2019 to 5,47,869 households (84%) as of 6 2026, against a total of rural households.
The State currently has 7,795 JJM schemes, of which 6,195 have physically completed as the Mission enters into its next phase, the Department is placing greater emphasis on the functionality of completed schemes and ensuring that infrastructure created under JJM translates into regular, adequate, and safe drinking water supply at the household level.
Ground-level assessments are undertaken to identify gaps in tap availability, regularity and adequacy of supply and to facilitate timely corrective action. The Department is also strengthening arrangements for schemes entering the O&M phase, including developing a policy framework for continued upkeep of water supply assets and service delivery after completion At the same time.
The Department is consolidating scheme, asset and financial information to strengthen financial closure, reporting and planning. The Department is using digital systems and asset mapping to improve data accuracy, strengthen reporting and enable faster resolution of field-level issues Community participation remains an important pillar of JJM 2.0, particularly for ensuring the long-term sustainability of water sources.
The is strengthening the role of Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) in scheme management and source protection, in line with the guidelines Of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government Of India. Meghalaya’s nationally recognised “Catchment-to-Tap” approach to underpin its water security strategy.
The State has identified 785 critical water sources for rejuvenation and mapped approximately 55,000 springs across more than 70,000 spring sheds. It is also advancing a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) model that incentivises communities to protect water sources and forest ecosystem.
Under initiatives such as Meg ARISE, vulnerable catchments across 180 villages are being restored to strengthen water sources. These interventions are intended to connect reliable household water supply with the long-term protection and management of the natural sources and catchments on which rural water systems depend water quality monitoring is also being strengthened through systematic testing, improved recording of results and timely remedial action.
The State has trained 31 ,829 women across villages to undertake water quality testing using Field Test Kits, while and field- level testing continues villages.
With a growing emphasis on service delivery, accountability, community ownership and source sustainability, Meghalaya is JJM 20 as a model for resilient rural water supply. The PHE Department remains committed to ensuring that every rural household has access to safe, reliable and sustainable tap water services.
