Lucknow, Mar 12 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that over 2.12 crore families have access to pure drinking water in the state now.

In a high-level meeting on Tuesday, the chief minister reviewed the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission and gave necessary directions, said a government spokesman.

He said that prior to the commencement of the Jal Jeevan Mission, merely 5.16 lakh families had access to pure drinking water through taps. With persistent efforts, today the dream of providing pure drinking water has been realised for over 2.12 crore families.

To ensure that all remaining households also receive piped drinking water, this task should be systematically completed in a timebound manner in phases, he stated.

The chief minister said that the scheme to provide tap water to every household stands as a remarkable example of fulfilling the commitment to Ease of Living. It signifies a significant paradigm shift. This is ‘Modi's guarantee', which means ‘guarantee of completion.’

He further said that access to pure drinking water was a dream in the Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions. Today, however, this dream is swiftly becoming a reality. Both regions have been accorded top priority, with plans underway to ensure that every household in Vindhya-Bundelkhand receives tap water facility.

The Jal Jeevan Mission has reached its final phase across the entire Vindhya-Bundelkhand region, including Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Banda, Chitrakoot, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra. The remaining tasks should be expedited to ensure swift completion.

The chief minister said that in villages where the Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved 100 per cent saturation, it is imperative to conduct transparent verification of every household's status. If any resident expresses dissatisfaction, their concerns must be addressed promptly. It is crucial to enhance the on-site inspection system. Trained plumbers should be deployed in every village.

The chief minister also asked officials to ensure repair of roads after excavation.

“The implementation of drinking water projects has led to excavation on various roads, impacting traffic flow and posing risks of accidents. It is the responsibility of the executing agency to promptly repair the roads upon completion of the project. Roads should not be left damaged due to drinking water projects, and accountability must be fixed in such instances,” he said.