NITI Aayog’s SDG Index 2020-21: Only 53 per cent of the rural population in Jammu and Kashmir has access to safe drinking water

Women use a piece of cloth to filter water collected from a well at Padal village in Samba district, Kashmir, on May 30.

In a shocking revelation, the latest NITI Aayog report has claimed that in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, a mere 53 per cent of the population has access to safe and adequate drinking water.

The NITI Aayog Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index, 2020-21 report said: “52.87 per cent of the rural population in Jammu and Kashmir is getting safe and adequate drinking water within premises through pipe water supply.” This comes at a time when the Jal Jeevan Mission is aiming to provide piped water supply to the entire rural population by 2024.

However, the Union Territory fared better than many States in the SDG index for availability of clean water and sanitation.

According to the data shared by NITI Aayog’s SDG Index 2020-21, 99.89 per cent of the rural population in Jammu and Kashmir have improved sources of drinking water.

The report, which was released last week, stated that Jammu and Kashmir scored 88 points in the index for improved sources of drinking water, leaving behind States such as Punjab, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Odhisa and others.

The NITI Aayog report was prepared on the basis of the availability of data at the sub-national level and to ensure comparability across States and UTs.