The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a significant initiative of the Indian government that came into prominence recently when the Centre announced over 50% of rural households now have access to tap water supply. Launched in 2019 under the aegis of the Jal Shakti Ministry, the mission aims to ensure a supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household by 2024.
Objectives and Features of Jal Jeevan Mission
The primary objective of JJM is to create a ‘jan andolan’ or people’s movement for water, thus making water everyone’s priority. The mission also intends to ensure the functionality of existing water supply systems, monitor and test water quality, promote sustainable agriculture, and facilitate the conjunctive use of conserved water for various purposes.
One significant aspect of JJM is its integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level. It encourages the creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability measures such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, household wastewater management and reuse, etc. These tasks are undertaken in convergence with other government programmes or schemes.
Community Approach and Implementation
The implementation of JJM is based on a community approach where ‘Paani Samitis’ or water committees play a crucial role. Comprising 10-15 members predominantly women, these committees undertake the planning, management, operation and maintenance of village water supply systems. They also prepare a one-time village action plan, merging all available village resources, which is then approved in a Gram Sabha before implementation.
Funding Pattern
The funding pattern of the JJM varies across different geographical regions. For the Himalayan and North-Eastern states, the Centre and the state share the fund at a 90:10 ratio. For other states, the ratio is 50:50, while for Union Territories, the Centre provides 100% funding.
Performance of Jal Jeevan Mission
According to available data, as of 10th June 2022, around 50.38% of households across India have tap water connections. Significant progress has been witnessed in states and Union Territories like Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, which have achieved 100% tap connectivity for all households.
Jal Jeevan Mission(Urban)
The Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) was introduced in the Budget 2021-22 to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households through functional taps in all statutory towns. This mission complements the JJM (Rural), sharing the common objective of securing tap and sewer connections to households, rejuvenating water bodies and promoting a circular water economy. This initiative comes under the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, aligning itself with Sustainable Development Goal-6.