Indore, often celebrated as the industrial capital of Madhya Pradesh, is on the cusp of a significant public utility milestone. The city, also known as 'Mini Mumbai', is eagerly awaiting an official declaration from the Central government as a 'Har Ghar Jal'-certified district under the flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The Push for Certification
State authorities have been actively pursuing this recognition. The Madhya Pradesh government had initially proposed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself declare Indore as 'Har Ghar Jal'-certified, though this specific plan did not materialize. Currently, the state's Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, which is the executing agency for JJM projects, is urging the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) to secure this certification for the district. Officials indicate that the declaration should not face significant delays, as JJM projects in many districts are nearing completion.
Madhya Pradesh's Progress on Water Connections
The Jal Jeevan Mission primarily focuses on enabling piped water supply in areas outside municipal limits and in rural regions of a district. Madhya Pradesh has been a frontrunner in this national scheme. Burhanpur made history in July 2022 by becoming the first 'Har Ghar Jal'-certified district in the entire country. This was followed by Niwari, which achieved the distinction of having tap water connections in every household in June 2023.
The state has reported impressive numbers in its mission to provide clean drinking water. As of December 10 last year, over 8 million (80 lakh) rural families across Madhya Pradesh had been provided with functional tap water connections. The overall progress of the mission in the state has reached 72.54%. In a show of accelerated implementation, the target for the 2024–25 financial year of 8.19 lakh new connections was successfully met. Furthermore, an additional 5.5 lakh new connections were already accomplished in the 2025–26 financial year.
A Deadline Ahead of Schedule
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has placed the highest priority on ensuring quality and safe drinking water for every citizen. Speaking at a public event on December 10, he issued a stern directive to officials, stressing that under no circumstances should sewage be allowed to mix with groundwater sources. He instructed them to draft an effective action plan to prevent this.
CM Yadav also announced an ambitious timeline for the state. While the Central government has set a national deadline of December 2028 for completing the Jal Jeevan Mission, Madhya Pradesh is confident of achieving this goal much earlier, by March 2027. This would position the state as a national example in the successful and timely execution of this critical welfare scheme, bringing piped water to every rural household.
