New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Monday said the slow progress in the implementation of the Har Ghar Jal initiative under the Jal Jeevan Mission in some parts of the country was due to the "states' own reasons".

Responding during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Patil said the Centre has reviewed the progress of the project and offered required support to the states.

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The tap water supply under the Har Ghar Jal initiative has reached 6.6 crore rural households in the last two years, he informed the House.

The minister emphasised that while the Centre provides funding and technical support, the onus of implementation is with the state governments.

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"There has been slow progress in some parts of the country due to the states' own reasons," Patil noted.

"Not only Maharashtra, we held a review meeting with all state chief ministers and officials and offered required support to them," the ministry said replying to a supplementary query.

Patil cited a World Health Organisation report stating that 5.5 crore hours are spent in fetching water from distant places, with the maximum time spent by women.

The project has helped save time, ensured supply of tap water and reduced expenditure on health issues, he added.

Launched in 2019, the primary aim of the Har Ghar Jal initiative is to ensure that every rural household has access to clean and safe drinking water through piped connections.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)