Lucknow: Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh on Tuesday said officials must achieve complete implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission's tap water scheme in rural Uttar Pradesh, indicating its potential significance for BJP's 2027 assembly election campaign.
"All steps should be taken to ensure every rural household has a tap water connection before the 2027 assembly elections, so that the BJP can confidently contest polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath," he said while speaking at an award ceremony where officials of the department were felicitated.
He noted that this achievement would secure widespread rural support for BJP, as universal tap water access was previously considered impossible.
Singh mentioned that when he took charge of the department in 2022, UP's position in rural tap water connectivity was low among states. In two years, UP became the top state in providing the most tap water connections in the country.
Singh credited the entire team of the Jal Jeevan Mission for working together to provide tap water connections to over 2.26 crore households in UP, achieving 86% coverage. Minister of state for Jal Shakti, Ramkesh Nishad, said Bundelkhand earlier used to receive water through trains but now every household has access to tap water.
Additional chief secretary of the rural water supply department Anurag Srivastava highlighted UP's achievement in implementing the most connections nationwide at minimal cost, with over 80% solar-powered projects generating substantial electricity savings. State information commissioner PN Dwivedi said UP was the first state to honour employees who performed well.
During the programme, 74 officials, employees and workers from implementing agencies were felicitated for their outstanding work.