SHIMLA: Tap water has reached India’s highest village, Tashigang, which is 15,256 feet above the sea level in Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti valley and only 10 kilometres from China. Along with Lahaul-Spiti, three other districts (Una, Chamba, and Kinnaur) have 100% functional household tap connections (FHTC) under Jal Jeevan Mission, while the state has achieved 93.05% of the target.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the state government claimed that its allocation under the mission was Rs 4,418.37 crore, including an incentive of Rs 1,028.43 crore. So far, it has covered 24 blocks, 2,331 gram panchayats, and 14,661 villages. In the last two years and a half, 8.44 lakh households got tap water, while in the previous 72 years, only 7.63 lakh households were covered.
In Kinnaur, water supply has reached 411 habitations of 22,763 houses. Of the 219 schemes approved for the district, 155 have been implemented, while 55 worth Rs 183 crore are in progress. In Lahaul-Spiti, water supply has reached 364 habitations of 7,284 houses. Seven schemes worth Rs 122 crore are in progress.
In NITI Aayog’s aspirational district Chamba, which included the tribal subdivisions of Pangi and Bharmour, 265 schemes worth Rs 420 crore have led to 100% tap water coverage of more than 1.21 lakh households. In Una, 15 schemes worth Rs 196 crore gave tap water to 1.16 lakh houses.
