SEVENTY-TWO years after Independence, about 3.23 crore households in the villages of India had access to piped water connection; over 83 per cent had to depend on alternate sources which were mostly unhealthy, distant, and unwieldy.
Pictures and posters depicted the plight of such villagers – mostly women – trudging along the scorched earth, with multiple utensils balanced on head and cuddled in hands. Sometimes, they also had an infant tied on back or a child toddling behind. The intent to better their lot was perhaps there earlier too, but maybe the execution was not.
Speed and scale
Since the announcement of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the speed and scale of implementation has significantly increased. In just about three years, over 8.5 crore rural households have gained access to tap water. That translates into roughly to well over 40 crore people.
The Mission was announced by the Prime Minister with the aim of providing all rural households with adequate quantity – 55 litres per person (capita) per day (lpcd) – of water of prescribed quality in adequate pressure, on a regular and long-term basis.
Since August 2019, the Centre in partnership with state governments is implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household by 2024.
The overall financial commitment for the mission is Rs 3,600 billion, which makes it one of the largest welfare programmes in the world.
100 per cent coverage
Till May 15, five states (Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab), and three UTs (Puducherry, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands), have reported 100 per cent coverage. Himachal Pradesh, at 98.35 per cent, and Bihar (96.05 per cent), are also poised to achieve the saturation point.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, quality-affected villages, aspirational districts, SC/ST majority villages, water-scarce areas, and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) villages are prioritised for providing tap water supply.
To ensure the health and wellbeing of children by providing clean tap water in schools and anganwadi centres in the country, PM Modi announced a 100-day campaign, which was launched by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in October 2, 2020.
Bottom-up approach
Jal Jeevan Mission is a ‘bottom-up’ approach where the community plays a vital role – from planning to implementation, management, operation, and maintenance.
To achieve this, Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSC)/Pani Samitis are being constituted and strengthened; Village Action Plan are developed through community engagement; Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) are engaged to support village communities in programme implementation and create awareness among people.
To build the capacity of the community to efficiently manage the water utility, the Jal Jeevan Mission is conducting capacity-building programmes with the help of ISAs, 104 Key Resource Centres (KRCs), and sector partners working in the area of water across the country.
Quality monitoring
Water quality monitoring and surveillance activities are given top priority under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Five women in each village are being trained to test water samples of any kind of contamination by using Field test Kits (FTKs).
The kits are procured and handed over to panchayats to test water on nine parameters. These are pH, alkalinity, chloride, nitrate, total hardness, fluoride, iron, residual free chlorine, and hydrogen sulphide (also known as H2S, sewer gas, or swamp gas).
