What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?

 

The Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019, aims to provide 55 liters of water per person per day to every rural household in India by 2024 through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC). It is an initiative under the Jal Shakti Ministry, with the goal of making water a priority for everyone.

 

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Objectives:

 

The mission focuses on ensuring the functionality of existing water supply systems and connections, monitoring water quality, promoting sustainable agriculture, and encouraging the conjunctive use of conserved water. It also includes initiatives such as drinking water source augmentation, improving drinking water supply systems, treating and reusing greywater.

 

Key Features:

 

The Jal Jeevan Mission emphasizes the integrated management of water demand and supply at the local level. It involves creating local infrastructure for sustainable water sources, including rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and wastewater management. The mission also emphasizes community participation and awareness through extensive information, education, and communication efforts.

 

Implementation:

 

The implementation of the mission involves the formation of Paani Samitis, which are committees responsible for planning, implementing, managing, operating, and maintaining village water supply systems. These committees consist of 10-15 members, with at least 50% women members and representatives from various groups like Self-Help Groups, Accredited Social and Health Workers, and Anganwadi teachers. The committees prepare a village action plan, which is approved in a Gram Sabha (village assembly) before implementation.

 

Funding:

 

The Jal Jeevan Mission follows a funding pattern where the central government and states share the costs. For Himalayan and North-Eastern States, the sharing ratio is 90:10, for other states it is 50:50, and for Union Territories, the central government provides 100% funding.

 

Performance:

 

According to the latest data available on the JJM dashboard, approximately 9.65 crore households (50.38% of total households) in India have tap water connections. States like Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu have achieved 100% tap water connectivity. States with high Functional Household Tap Connection coverage include Punjab (99.72%), Gujarat (95.91%), Himachal Pradesh (93.05%), and Bihar (92.74%). On the other hand, Rajasthan (24.87%), Chhattisgarh (23.10%), Jharkhand (20.57%), and Uttar Pradesh (13.86%) have relatively lower coverage.