In order to improve the quality of life of rural people and drinking water supplied to rural people the Central Government launched the National Drinking water Mission in 1986. It was renamed Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water MIssion in 1991. The mission has its own monitoring cell in respect of implementation of the scheme and quality of water being supplied. The report of the monitoring cell, which was submitted to the Government of Assam recently, pointed out that of the 23 testing laboratories sanctioned under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission, only six laboratories were set up. There is no mobile laboratory in the state. The report noted that technical staff, required for the laboratories have not been appointed and water testing in all these laboratores is being carried out by non-technical staff.