Over 40% rural households in J&K yet to get proper potable water: Minister

More than 40% of the rural habitations in Jammu and Kashmir do not have access to proper drinking water facilities but the state government has assured that all such habitations will be covered by 2020.

The state has 15,798 rural habitations, out of which 8,535 habitations (54%) are fully covered and are being provided drinking water at 40-55 litres per consumer daily, Minister of State for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Farooq Ahmad Andrabi said at the Legislative Council.

The minister was replying to a question of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Sofi Mohammad Yousuf Andrabi.

He said the remaining 7,263 habitations (46%) are partially covered with varying supply level of drinking water, adding that they would be fully covered till 2019-20.

The minister added that 395 Slow Sand/ Rapid Sand filtration plants with conventional technology were functional in the state at present.