Tumakuru (Karnataka), Oct 16 — The Central Government's Jal Jeevan Mission has brought significant relief to residents of Maidala village in Karnataka's Tumakuru district by providing household tap water connections, reducing their dependence on open wells, hand pumps and lakes for their daily water requirements.
Implemented under the flagship scheme, the initiative has ensured that clean drinking water reaches households directly through taps, transforming the daily lives of villagers who earlier had to walk long distances carrying heavy pots to fetch water.
Maidala Gram Panchayat in Urdigere Hobli of Tumakuru taluk offers an example of how the scheme has improved access to drinking water in rural areas. An overhead water tank and an extensive pipeline network have been developed to facilitate regular water supply to households.
Pramila, a beneficiary from Maidala village, said that before the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, residents had to depend on open wells and borewells and carry water home manually.
"We had to go to open wells, carry heavy pots on our heads and bring water back home. Later, a water tank was installed, and subsequently, the Central Government introduced the Jal Jeevan Mission. Overhead tanks and household tap connections were provided, and now we receive water regularly, either in the morning or evening," she said.
She added that the availability of tap water had also eliminated the need to carry clothes to lakes and ponds for washing, where residents earlier had to depend on stagnant and often contaminated water.
Another beneficiary, Narasimhamurthy, said the scheme had made access to water considerably easier for villagers.
"Earlier, we depended on hand-operated borewells, lakes and open wells for our household water requirements. We had to fetch water manually. Now, pipelines have been laid, and water comes directly to our homes. We do not face the difficulties we experienced earlier. The initiative under the Modi government has been immensely beneficial," he said.
Nanjundamurthy, another resident of the village, also highlighted the improvement in water accessibility following the installation of household connections.
He said residents earlier depended on two hand-operated borewells and had to manually draw and carry water. With the Jal Jeevan Mission, they can now draw water directly from the overhead tank into their household storage facilities.
The scheme has thus reduced the physical effort involved in collecting water while improving access to drinking water at the household level.