Guwahati: A team from the Centre for Urbanization, Buildings, and Environment (CUBE), a joint initiative of IIT Madras and Tamil Nadu government, has arrived in Assam to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the works under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in Assam.
The team will submit a report to the Assam government based on their observations. This report will provide valuable recommendations to the state government, enabling it to make informed decisions and identify areas where improvements can be made to guarantee a reliable and long-term supply of drinking water to rural communities of the state.
A total of 10 inspection teams, comprising 20 experts from CUBE, have commenced their evaluation of the implemented water supply schemes across all districts of Assam.
The teams began their assessment on November 2. They are interacting with various stakeholders, including local communities and beneficiaries, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the project’s impact.
The CUBE team is expected to assess approximately 200 water supply schemes during this special inspection drive. A comprehensive report detailing the condition of the completed works under the Jal Jeevan Mission Assam will be submitted within 15 days of the completion of the field survey.
The Jal Jeevan Mission in Assam has made significant progress, achieving 81% (58.45 lakh) of functional household tap connections.
This ambitious program aims to cover nearly 75 lakh rural households across 25,000 villages in the state.
The project has involved the construction of over 27,000 piped water supply schemes across the state. Of these, around 15,800 have been completed. To ensure long-term sustainability, 13,500 schemes have been handed over to Water User Committees (WUCs), composed of community members responsible for operation and maintenance. The remaining completed schemes will be transferred to WUCs after a trial period.
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However, despite the scale and speed of implementation, the mission has encountered challenges, including project delays and concerns about the quality of work in some areas. To address these issues, the Assam government has initiated a temporary standstill period to review ongoing projects and ensure the highest standards of quality.
