The Government of India remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the provision of safe and potable tap water in adequate quantity, prescribed quality, and on a regular and long-term basis for all rural households. To achieve this, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched in August 2019, in collaboration with States and Union Territories (UTs), with the Centre providing technical and financial assistance. Significant Progress Under Jal Jeevan Mission Since the inception of JJM, remarkable progress has been made in enhancing access to tap water for rural households: At the start of JJM in August 2019, only 323 million (16.71%) rural households had tap water connections. As of 20 March 2025, an additional 123 million rural households have been provided with tap water connections.Out of 193.6 million rural households in India, approximately 15.53 crore (80.22%) now have access to tap water supply.The year-wise and State-wise progress, including details for Kushinagar district, Uttar Pradesh, is available on the JJM IMIS Dashboard: JJM India Report. Strengthening International Collaborations To further enhance water supply, wastewater treatment, and water management, the Government of India is building strategic international partnerships: India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership (28th September 2020) A Jont Work Plan (2021-2024) has been formulated between: National Jal Jeevan Mission (Ministry of Jal Shakti, India) Danish Environment Protection Agency (Ministry of Environment, Denmark – DEPA) This collaboration focuses on: Water supply & distribution Wastewater treatment & reuse Sewerage systems & energy optimization Technology, research, regulation, and skilling Achievements & Infrastructure Coordination 11 States/UTs have achieved ‘Har Ghar Jal’ status, ensuring 100% tap water coverage. Other States/UTs are progressing towards full coverage. Government initiatives ensure coordinated planning between water supply projects and infrastructure development (e.g., roads, pipelines). Key measures include: Nodal officers coordinating with central agencies (MoEF&CC, MoRTH, NHAI, Railways, etc.) Regular review meetings with stakeholders State and District Programme Management Units (SPMUs & DPMUs) for improved technical and human resource management. Rural WASH Partner Forum—a Civil Society Organization network supporting States in timely implementation. Quality Standards & Compliance Under JJM guidelines, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS: 10500) benchmarks drinking water quality for all piped water supply schemes, ensuring compliance with acceptable and permissible limits for physio-chemical and bacteriological parameters.