NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak hailed the central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which he said helped to improve the water supply mechanism significantly in the country.
Speaking at TOI’s Water Summit 2025, the deputy CM said Uttar Pradesh made a major stride in the implementation of the scheme.
Pathak highlighted how the increase in population led to water shortage and shed light on the ways Uttar Pradesh has been adopting to meet water demand.
“When humans made progress, we tried moulding the environment as per our wishes. Humans would not have had to build reservoirs as natural reservoirs like rivers, waterfalls or rainwater fulfilled our daily needs. Then the population was less. But an increase in the population led to a rise in water consumption, melting of glaciers and reduction of rainwater in monsoons,” Pathak said.
The deputy CM thanked PM Modi for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), saying the Prime Minister has made efforts to ensure on-ground implementation of JMM for the completion of a bigger goal.
He said UP has “done wonders in the implementation” of JJM, adding “we have witnessed the implementation of the scheme and he congratulated “all officials linked to JJM and irrigation”.
“Earlier houses had small water tanks for water storage, but PM Modi ensured the availability of fresh drinking water in every house. Uttar Pradesh has been number one in the effort. We are moving forward with a purpose,” Pathak said.
Claiming that the UP government, under CM Yogi Aadityanath, made unprecedented progress in JMM implementation, Pathak said: “As of now, water supply is being ensured in 24,050 villages. Our connection has reached 2.36 crore houses, 37, 462 pump houses have been made. We have done a deep boring of 38,456 tubewells.”
He said that the UP government has also given importance to an alternative source of energy.
“Our team was aware of how would water be accessible in the absence of electricity. Therefore, the entire system is based on solar. We produce electricity, run our pump houses, supply water, and send extra electricity to the grid. This is a great effort under JJM,” the minister said.
