Prime Minister Narendra Modi could launch the tap water facility for residents of Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal regions in the New Year. Officials of the rural water supply department have nearly completed the trial run for the scheme ahead of Modi’s likely visit.

“The exact date of the VIP visit is yet to be decided but it is expected to be in the initial days of the New Year. During his visit, the Prime Minister might gift tap water to lakhs of families who reside in these regions,” a senior official said, adding that the state government has already made a request to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in this regard.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister could also lay the foundation stone of about 8,000 drinking water schemes for 45 lakh families of 13,000 villages. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, several of his ministers and party leaders could also be present on the occasion for the launch of the facility that the BJP is expected to market big time in the run-up to the 2022 UP polls.

The official privy to the PM’s likely visit said that the rural water supply department has completed preparations to connect more than 18 lakh families with water supply in the first phase of the Har Ghar Nal Yojana under the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Centre’s Namami Gange programme.

“Once water supply is operational, millions of villagers residing in hundreds of villages of Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal regions will get clean drinking water at their homes, which will also reduce the risk of waterborne diseases that they have been exposed to in the past due to non-availability of safe potable water,” the official said.

“In the villages of Sonbhadra and Mirzapur districts of Vindhyachal along with seven districts of Bundelkhand, the trial run is nearly complete. Every day, dozens of villages are being connected with tap water supply in the two regions and the feeling of relief is clearly visible on the faces of the villagers,” the official said.

“Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the government has decided to provide a functional household tap connection to people through the Har Ghar Nal Yojana. Many people in Bahadurpur and Piparat villages of Lalitpur got emotional during the trial run itself as they saw water coming from taps after decades,” the official said.