Patna: Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Sanjay Kumar Singh on Wednesday said piped drinking water facilities would be extended to all remaining Mahadalit Tolas across Bihar within the next three months under the state government’s Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal Yojana.
Addressing a press conference in Patna, Singh said the department’s immediate priority was to ensure drinking water access in Mahadalit hamlets that are yet to be covered under the scheme.
“Our focus is to provide piped drinking water to the Mahadalit Tolas. Our target is to complete the installation of piped drinking water within three months,” Singh said.
PHED Principal Secretary Rajesh Kumar, Engineer-in-Chief Nityanand Prasad and Engineer-in-Chief Abhay Kumar Singh were also present at the briefing.
Coverage Expanded to 1.87 Crore Families
The minister said the state government launched the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal Yojana in 2016 with the objective of ensuring safe drinking water supply in rural Bihar.
According to the department, more than 93 per cent of rural families are currently receiving piped drinking water under the scheme.
Singh said the number of beneficiary families has increased from 2.66 lakh in 2016 to 1.87 crore in 2026. The department has now set a target of extending the facility to 2.02 crore rural families.
He added that drinking water is presently being supplied in 1,14,450 wards in rural areas of the state.
The minister said the government was committed to maintaining uninterrupted and adequate water supply during the summer season.
Groundwater Levels Improve Across Bihar
The PHED minister also highlighted improvements in groundwater levels across Bihar between 2019 and 2026.
He said the number of panchayats categorised as “very serious”, where groundwater levels were below 50 feet, declined from 138 in 2019 to 19 in 2026.
Similarly, panchayats under the “serious” category, with groundwater depth between 40 and 50 feet, declined from 468 to 186 during the same period.
The number of panchayats with groundwater levels between 30 and 40 feet declined from 1,270 to 1,158, while those in the 20 to 30 feet category reduced from 2,529 to 2,213.
At the same time, panchayats with groundwater levels within 20 feet — considered the best category — increased from 3,981 in 2019 to 4,222 in 2026.
Singh attributed the improvement to public awareness and state initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Hariyali programme.
Water Quality Monitoring Strengthened
The department has also expanded its water quality monitoring infrastructure, Singh said.
According to the minister, Bihar now has one NABL-accredited state referral laboratory, along with 38 district-level and 75 sub-divisional laboratories to test water quality.
The PHED has also operationalised a Centralised Grievance Redressal Cell (CGRC) for complaints related to the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal scheme.
People can register complaints through a toll-free number, mobile application, website, WhatsApp and email, the minister said.
He added that complaints could also be sent directly to the Principal Secretary through WhatsApp or phone calls.
Between August 2025 and May 2026, the CGRC received 1.54 lakh complaints, of which 1.46 lakh have been resolved, Singh said.
Heat Wave Measures and Hand Pump Repairs
The department has made special arrangements to address water shortages during the ongoing heat wave, the minister said.
According to PHED, 475 water tankers, 15 “Jaldoots” and 15 water ATMs have been deployed in severely affected areas.
Singh said the department was also repairing 86,000 hand pumps across the state.
Around 1,000 new hand pumps are being installed this financial year in drought-prone districts of South Bihar with support from the Disaster Management Department, he added.
The department installs around 5,000 hand pumps annually and plans to maintain the same target this fiscal year subject to fund availability.
Water Supply Timing Extended
Singh said the duration of piped water supply under the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal scheme has been increased by one hour following directives from Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Between April and September, water will now be supplied from 5 am to 9 am in the morning and from 4 pm to 7 pm in the evening.
Between October and March, morning water supply timing has been extended from 6 am to 10 am, while evening timings will remain unchanged, he said.
Decline in Waterborne Diseases
The minister said improved access to safe drinking water had contributed to a reduction in waterborne diseases in Bihar.
Citing the Bihar Economic Survey 2025, Singh said reported cases of diarrhoea, typhoid and viral hepatitis had declined significantly in recent years.
