Agartala, January 28, 2026: Tripura has recorded remarkable achievements in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, with Minister Kishor Barman presenting the state’s progress and future roadmap at a key policy dialogue.
Speaking at the event, Barman highlighted that out of 750,849 rural households in Tripura, 647,954 have already been provided with functional tap water connections. This has raised the state’s average coverage to 86.30 percent—well above the national average of 81.56 percent.
He noted that prior to the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 3.26 percent of households in Tripura had tap water connections. “The transformation reflects the effective execution of the mission,” he said.
Two blocks in West Tripura district—Lefunga and Mohanpur—have achieved 100 percent coverage, earning the designation of “Har Ghar Nal Se Jal” blocks. Across the state, 175 gram panchayats and 4,703 habitations have been fully covered under the scheme.
The minister emphasized the mission’s impact on education and child welfare, stating that safe drinking water has been ensured through pipelines in 4,251 schools (94.55 percent) and 8,481 Anganwadi centres (92.17 percent).
On the financial front, Barman reported that Tripura’s estimated budget under the mission stands at ₹6,474.22 crore. Of this, ₹3,349.60 crore has been received and ₹3,348.30 crore utilized, reflecting fiscal discipline and transparency.
Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of operation and maintenance (O&M), noting that the state adopted an O&M policy in 2023 and has prepared an advanced draft in line with central guidelines. He also flagged the pending release of ₹750 crore from the Centre to address existing financial gaps in O&M.
Tripura has decided to empower gram panchayats as “micro water utilities,” actively involving them in supply management, maintenance, fee collection, awareness campaigns, and grievance redressal. In hilly, remote, and tribal areas, community-managed and energy-efficient water supply models have successfully reduced costs while fostering a sense of ownership among residents.
Concluding his address, Barman underscored that strengthening the panchayat system and ensuring administrative support are key to delivering sustainable and quality public services. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of Jal Jeevan Mission go beyond statistics and bring tangible improvements to every household in the state.
