JJM : Records and ground reality do not match
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 15 2026: The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a flagship programme of the Government of India launched to provide safe and adequate drinking water to every household, has come under criticism as official records do not match the ground reality.

While official records indicated that tap water connections have been provided to households in certain villages, the ground reality tells a different story.

In some areas, pipelines have not even been laid, while in others, residents are compelled to buy drinking water from private tankers, raising questions about the basis on which these villages have been recorded as having tap water connections.

JJM : Records and ground reality do not match

The JJM was launched on August 15, 2019, as a Centrally sponsored scheme to provide safe drinking water to every rural household by 2024 .

An official record of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti shows that tap water connections have been provided to 3,59,852 out of the 4,51,669 households in Manipur, indicating coverage of 79.67 per cent.

District wise, tap water connections have been provided to 88.92 per cent household in Thoubal, 87.20 per cent in Kakching, 87.12 per cent in Tengnoupal, 85.71 per cent in Churachandpur, 85.46 per cent in Kangpokpi, 80.52 per cent in Imphal East, 79.31 per cent in Tamenglong, 78.43 per cent in Chandel, 78.13 per cent in Ukhrul, 77.52 per cent in Imphal West, 76.95 per cent in Senapati, 76.62 per cent in Noney, 73.43 per cent in Kamjong, 72.71 per cent in Bishnupur, 51.57 per cent in Pherzawl and 37.68 per cent in Jiribam, as per the official record.

The record clearly states that 630 villages across all 16 districts of Manipur have achieved 100 per cent tap water connection coverage.

Of the 630 villages, three are in Bishnupur, 37 in Chandel, 204 in Churachandpur, 26 in Imphal East, 19 in Imphal West, nine in Jiribam, three in Kakching, 31 in Kamjong, 170 in Kangpokpi, 15 in Noney, 23 in Pherzawl, 15 in Senapati, one in Tamenglong, 43 in Tengnoupal, nine in Thoubal and 13 in Ukhrul.

The 26 villages in Imphal East, which according to the official record have tap water connections are Karpur Sungba, Kongba Nongthombam Leikai, Chanam Sandrok, Changamdabi, Keikhu Hao, Naharup, Itham, Moirangpurel, Nongthou, Kamu Yaithibi, Haraorou, Morok Ingkhol, Sambei, Phaknung, Khurai Sorjor Leikai, Achanbigei, Kontha Khabam, Sadu Koireng, Moirangkampu, Maiba Khul, Pukhao Khabam, Kangba Chingjin, Iyampal Kharasom, Sanjenbam and Takhel.

Some residents of Chanam Sandrok, however, told The Sangai Express that pipelines for tap water connections have not even been laid in their village, let alone the provision of safe drinking water.

When informed that official records showed all 460 households in the village as having tap water connections, the residents expressed surprise and questioned how such a report could have been made.

The residents further said that they had heard about plans to supply water to the village from the Langdum Water Supply scheme but the department concerned has not taken any initiative in this regard.

Khanarok is a village adjacent to Chanam Sandrok.

According to official records, tap water connections have been provided to 68 out of the 134 households in the village, covering 50.75 per cent of the total households.

Residents of Khanarok said they rely on borewell water for their daily needs.

They said some pipework had started, but they did not know of any household in the village receiving tap water.

Likewise, residents of many villages in Imphal East still rely on private tankers to meet their water needs, they said.

They also said that even households covered by the Langdum Water Supply Scheme at Keirao Bitra depend on private tankers, as many of them cannot obtain even 100 litres of water when the scheme supplies water on alternate days.

They urged the Government and the authorities concerned to implement the JJM transparently so as to ensure that every household receives safe and adequate drinking water.