The recent launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) mobile application by the Prime Minister spotlights India’s commitment to ensure water availability to every rural household. Launched on Gandhi Jayanti, the JJM app promises to be a game-changer in terms of transparency and stakeholder awareness. It offers a plethora of information about existing water infrastructure and quality at the village level.
Description and Features of the JJM Mobile Application
The JJM app provides comprehensive data on water infrastructure and beneficiaries, as verified through Aadhaar. It also exposes the quality of water and any contamination issues in each village. JJM aims to build awareness among various stakeholders, enhancing transparency and accountability of initiatives under its banner. To streamline this, the Jal Shakti Ministry oversees a JJM dashboard that portrays the extent of tap water connections across states. The JJM mobile app consolidates all this data, making it readily accessible under one umbrella.
Insight into the Jal Jeevan Mission
Launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2019, the mission plans to provide every rural household with 55 litres of water per person per day through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. The mission promotes community participation or jan andolan, urging each person to prioritize water.
Aims and Features of JJM
JJM assures the functionality of existing water supply systems and connections. It also pledges to monitor water quality and endorse sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it encourages the conservation and reuse of grey water. An integrated approach to manage water demand and supply at the local level is a key feature of JJM. Infrastructure development for source sustainability measures like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge are also crucial components of the mission.
Role of Community in Implementing JJM
Paani Samitis, local water committees consisting of 10-15 members, are entrusted with managing village water supply systems. A minimum of 50% of the committee members must be women, while the remaining comprise Self-Help Groups, Accredited Social and Health Workers, Anganwadi teachers, etc. The committees draft a one-off action plan for the village using all available resources.
Funding Pattern
The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories.
Progress of JJM
At the time of JJM’s launch, only 17% (32.3 million) of the country’s rural households had tap water supply. Today, this number has more than doubled to 41.14%, with 7.80 Crore households currently with tap water supply. Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Puducherry have achieved 100% household connection in rural areas, making every house a ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Alongside this, the Budget 2021-22 also announced the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) to ensure water availability in urban areas.
