The Central government has sanctioned a Rs 4.5 crore project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme to provide drinkable tap water across Jammu and Kashmir, Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil informed Parliament on Thursday.
Launched on October 01, 2021, AMRUT 2.0 aims to make cities 'self-reliant' and 'water secure' by improving urban water supply and wastewater management.
The scheme focuses on ensuring the availability of clean and safe drinking water in urban areas.
The minister said that between 2023 and November 22, 2024, a total of 4,39,464 water samples were tested across Jammu and Kashmir.
Giving details, he said that in the year 2023-24, 2,53,364 water samples were tested in laboratories, and an additional 34,793 samples were tested using Field Testing Kits (FTKs), bringing the total to 2,88,157 tests for that year.
For the current year (2024-25), as of November 22, 2024, 1,51,062 water samples had been tested in laboratories, and 409 samples were tested using FTKs, adding up to a total of 1,51,471 tests for the ongoing year, Paatil said.
As of November 22, 2024, Jammu and Kashmir has 98 water quality testing laboratories, including 76 at the block sub-division level, 20 at the district level, and 2 mobile units, the minister said, adding that these efforts are part of the government's push to ensure safe drinking water for every citizen in the region.