As told to Parliament (December 4, 2025): Over 81% of rural households now have tap water connections

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As told to Parliament (December 4, 2025): Over 81% of rural households now have tap water connections
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Summary
  • Lok Sabha informed that BOD levels in the Thamirabarani River have improved across monitored stretches in Tamil Nadu.

  • Over 81% of rural households now have tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission, according to government data.

  • Fluoride levels in all monitored sites in Katni district, Madhya Pradesh, remain within permissible limits, with no quality-affected habitations left.

  • The Centre has issued 95 statutory directions through CAQM to address persistent air pollution across Delhi-NCR.

  • Tamil Nadu expanded mangrove restoration under MISHTI, while India generated 13.9 lakh tonnes of e-waste in 2024–25, with over 11.5 lakh tonnes recycled.

‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ Yojana under Jal Jeevan Mission

At the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, 32.3 million rural households (17 per cent) had tap water connections, V Somanna, Union minister of state for jal shakti, told the Lok Sabha. As of December 1, 2025, states and Union Territories report that around 125.2 million additional rural households have been provided with tap water.

Of India’s 193.6 million rural households, more than 157.5 million (81.36 per cent) now have tap water supply, while work for the remaining 36.9 million households is at various stages of completion, the minsiter stated. 

Assessment of Thamirabarani river in Tamil Nadu

The Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels in the Thamirabarani River ranged between 4 milligrammes per litre (mg/L) and 6.2 mg/L across five locations from Tirunelveli (downstream) to Kallidaikurichi, based on a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) assessment under the National Water Monitoring Programme for 2022 and 2023,  C R Paatil, Union minister of jal shakti, told the Lok Sabha. 

This places the river stretch in the Priority-IV category. According to CPCB, sampling at nine locations in Tirunelveli district in 2024 shows BOD levels between 2 mg/L and 3.1 mg/L, indicating an improvement in water quality. 

Fluoride concentrations in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh

Fluoride concentrations at all 16 monitored locations in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh are within the Bureau of Indian Standards permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L, according to the Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Union minister of state for jal shakti, told the Lok Sabha. 

The Government of India is implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission – Har Ghar Jal scheme to provide safe, contamination-free tap water to every rural household, including in Madhya Pradesh. The JJM dashboard indicates that there are no quality-affected habitations remaining in Katni district, as safe drinking water has been provided across all habitations, the minister stated.

Pollution in Delhi-NCR

The central government has established the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) under the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 to strengthen coordination, research and action on air pollution across Delhi-National Capital Region, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union minister of state in the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, told the Rajya Sabha.

CAQM has issued 95 statutory directions to guide pollution-abatement measures and has put in place monitoring mechanisms for their implementation. This collective, collaborative effort involves all major stakeholders, Singh stated. 

Implementation of MISHTI in Tamil Nadu

Under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), launched as part of the 2023-24 Budget, Tamil Nadu has undertaken large-scale mangrove restoration with community involvement, Singh told the Rajya Sabha. 

Between 2022-23 and 2024-25, 95 hectares of new mangroves were planted under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Green Tamil Nadu Mission (GTM) and National Highways Authority of India schemes using modified fish-bone designs. A further 250 hectares of degraded mangroves were restored under GTM and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, and 52,000 seedlings were planted using linear methods, the minister said. 

Across 13 states and Union territories, 22,560.34 hectares (ha) have been taken up for plantation and restoration, including 1,082 ha in Tamil Nadu since 2023-24. The state government has not sought gap funding from National CAMPA under MISHTI, Singh stated. 

E-waste management

The CPCB estimates national e-waste generation based on producer sales data and the average life of electrical and electronic equipment, as mandated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, Singh told the Rajya Sabha. In 2024-25, India generated 13,97,955.59 metric tonnes of e-waste, of which 11,59,228.24 metric tonnes were recycled.

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