Shillong, October 02: Meghalaya has marked the completion of 75 rural water supply schemes with simultaneous Jal Arpan celebrations held across the state on October 1 and 2.
The celebrations, organised by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, covered districts from Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills to Ri-Bhoi, with local communities, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), public representatives, schoolchildren and government officials taking part.
The 75 schemes include newly commissioned, augmented and upgraded water supply systems now serving rural communities across Meghalaya.
The PHE Department said the initiative was part of the state’s continuing expansion of drinking water access under the Jal Jeevan Mission. As of September 2026, more than 5.47 lakh rural households had functional tap water connections, representing 84% coverage across the state.
Of the 7,795 Jal Jeevan Mission schemes taken up in Meghalaya, 6,195 have been physically completed, according to the department.
The Jal Arpan events also put the focus on what happens after infrastructure is completed—particularly community ownership, maintenance, water quality monitoring and protection of water sources.
Meghalaya’s “Catchment-to-Tap” approach, which links protection of water sources with downstream drinking water supply, was highlighted as an important component of efforts to build more reliable and climate-resilient rural water systems.
The PHE Department said its focus under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 would now be on ensuring that completed schemes translate into regular, adequate and safe drinking water supplies while strengthening community-managed water systems and the long-term sustainability of local water sources.
