Lucknow: Chief Secretary SP Goyal addressing the meeting of State Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission. Photo: Information Department
State Bureau, Lucknow. Chief Secretary SP Goyal, in the fifth meeting of the apex committee of the State Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission, directed to promptly connect schools and Anganwadi centers in rural areas with tap connections.
He asked to complete the work of the schemes in the priority areas set by the Government of India, such as flood and drought affected areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram and Scheduled Caste-Tribe dominated areas on priority and to complete the remaining works of Jeevan Mission expeditiously.
Instructions to get tested for arsenic and bacteria
He directed to get the water tested for arsenic and bacteria through trained women in all the villages. For this, they were asked to provide adequate quantity of kits. The proposal to extend the time period of contracts made with agencies for construction of schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission till December 2027 was approved.
It was told that a total of 97,070 revenue villages in all 75 districts of the state have been connected to piped drinking water schemes. Certificates to this effect have been received from all the districts and currently the process of obtaining the certificate again is going on.
It was informed in the review meeting that compared to 2,67,20,930 rural families of the state, tap connections have been provided to 2,42,74,000 (90.84%) families by November 30, 2025. In rural areas, 1,16,340 (99.84%) out of 1,16,524 schools and 1,55,136 (99.25%) out of 1,56,304 Anganwadi centers have been covered with tap connections.
One state level and 75 district laboratories are operating for drinking water quality testing. Labs are functional on 60 out of 62 water purification machines in nine districts of Bundelkhand region. Five lakh rural women have been trained across the state. Additional Chief Secretary Namami Gange Anurag Srivastava, Managing Director Jal Nigam (Rural) Dr. Raj Shekhar and other officials were present in the meeting.