Jal Jeevan Mission is a plan by the Indian government to make sure every household in India gets clean water through taps by 2024.
Introduction
Water is indeed an essential resource for sustaining life, and rapid urbanisation in India has led to increased pressure on existing water supply systems. The Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) is a response to this challenge, aiming to provide access to safe and adequate water through tap connections to all urban households. By implementing this mission, the government aims to improve the availability and quality of water supply in urban areas, thereby enhancing the overall well-being and livelihoods of urban residents.
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Latest News: The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) launched this programme in Bharatpur district in April 2019, and as of March 2024, it aims to provide water to 2 lakh 41 thousand 535 homes in 764 villages within the district, just 91 of which have been finished. The Rajasthan government received criticism on this as well. |
What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?
By 2024, it is the goal of the Jal Jeevan Mission to give every home in rural India access to safe and sufficient drinking water via individual household tap connections. The initiative will also incorporate source sustainability measures as requirements, such as water conservation, rainwater collection, and recharge and reuse through grey water management.
A crucial element of the Jal Jeevan Mission would be substantial information, education, and communication. It will be focused on a community-based approach to water. The mission was launched on 15 August 2019. For any queries, you can contact the experts at Vakilsearch.
Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)
The Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) is indeed an ambitious initiative launched by the Government of India with the objective of achieving universal coverage of water supply to all households in urban areas. The mission aims to ensure access to safe, adequate, and reliable water supply for drinking, cooking, and other domestic needs in urban regions across the country.
Objectives
- To provide tap connections to all urban households
- To ensure the sustainability of water sources
- To promote water conservation and rainwater harvesting
- To engage communities in water management
- To monitor and ensure the quality of water supplied
- To create awareness about the importance of water
- Ensuring the provision of Functional Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household.
- Prioritising the provision of FHTCs in areas affected by water quality issues, villages in drought-prone and desert areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages, and other relevant locations.
- Providing functional tap connections to schools, Anganwadi centres, GP buildings, health centres, wellness centres, and community buildings.
- Monitoring the functionality of tap connections to ensure consistent and reliable water supply.
- Promoting and encouraging voluntary ownership among the local community through contributions in cash, kind, labour, and voluntary efforts (shramdaan).
- Assisting in maintaining the sustainability of the water supply system, including water sources, water supply infrastructure, and funds for regular operation and maintenance.
- Empowering and developing human resources in the sector to meet the short-term and long-term demands of construction, plumbing, electrical work, water quality management, water treatment, catchment protection, operation, and maintenance.
- Raising awareness among stakeholders about the various aspects and significance of safe drinking water, and encouraging their active involvement to make water a shared responsibility for all.
Vision of Jal Jeevan Mission
The vision of JJM(U) is to ensure a sustainable and secure water supply to rural areas, facilitating improved health, well-being, and economic prosperity for all. The goal is to guarantee everyone has access to an appropriate supply of drinking water that consistently and over time meets set quality requirements. This will be accomplished by charging reasonable service delivery fees and raising the standard of living in rural areas as a result.
Mission of Jal Jeevan Mission
- Assisting and empowering States/ UTs in the planning of a participatory rural water supply strategy to ensure long-term access to potable drinking water for every rural household and public institution.
- Supporting States/ UTs in creating water supply infrastructure to ensure that every rural household has a Functional Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024, providing an adequate quantity of water that meets prescribed quality standards on a regular basis.
- Facilitating States/ UTs in planning for their drinking water security, considering the specific needs and challenges of each region.
- Enabling GPs/ rural communities to plan, implement, manage, own, operate, and maintain their own in-village water supply systems, fostering community ownership and involvement.
- Assisting States/ UTs in developing robust institutions with a focus on service delivery and financial sustainability in the water sector, promoting a utility approach.
- Conducting capacity building initiatives for stakeholders and raising awareness in the community about the importance of water for improving the quality of life.
- Providing financial assistance to States/ UTs for the implementation of the mission, ensuring the provision and mobilisation of funds.
Features of Jal Jeevan Mission
The Jal Jeevan Mission is a significant initiative aimed at resolving the issue of insufficient tap water connections by emphasising effective local management. This mission focuses on ensuring both the functionality of tap connections and the sustainable management of water resources.
Local Infrastructure Development
As part of the mission, local infrastructure is being constructed to support water harvesting, direct recharge of water sources, and efficient management of household wastewater for reuse. These measures are designed to enhance water availability and accessibility in rural areas.
Daily Water Allocation
By the year 2024, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide each individual residing in rural homes with a daily allocation of 55 liters of water through tap connections. This will significantly improve the water supply and meet the basic needs of the population.
Community Involvement and Planning
The Jal Jeevan Mission actively involves the community in formulating a comprehensive water management plan. This approach encourages the participation of local residents, facilitating information sharing, educational initiatives, and effective communication strategies. By engaging the community, the mission aims to ensure the sustainability and success of the water management efforts.
Jal Jeevan Mission Financial Support
To support the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, a substantial amount of ₹ 3 lakh crore has been allocated. This funding enables the construction of essential infrastructure, training programs, and awareness campaigns, promoting a holistic approach to water management.
Promoting Jan Andolan (People’s Movement)
In order to prioritise water-related issues, the Jal Jeevan Mission actively promotes the Jan Andolan for water. This movement encourages collective action and participation from all segments of society to address the challenges and create a sustainable water ecosystem.
Funding Distribution
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the distribution of funds varies based on the geographical region. For the Himalayan and North Eastern States, the funding is split in a ratio of 90:10 between the central government and the state government. In contrast, the remaining states receive funding in a 50:50 ratio, and Union Territories receive 100% funding support.
Components Under Jal Jeevan Mission
Efforts to Source Funds and Convergence
- Emphasising the need to secure funds from various sources/ programs and highlighting the importance of convergence to support the mission’s objectives.
Development of In-Village Piped Water Supply Infrastructure
- Focusing on the construction of piped water supply infrastructure within villages to ensure tap water connections for every rural household.
Development of Reliable Drinking Water Sources
- Establishing dependable drinking water sources and, if necessary, augmenting existing sources to ensure the long-term sustainability of the water supply system.
Bulk Water Transfer, Treatment Plants, and Distribution Network
- Implementing bulk water transfer systems, treatment plants, and distribution networks where needed to cater to the water requirements of every rural household.
Technological Interventions for Water Quality
- Introducing technological interventions to address water quality issues and remove contaminants when necessary.
Retrofitting of Completed and Ongoing Schemes
- Retrofitting completed and ongoing schemes to provide Functional Tap Connections (FHTCs) at a minimum service level of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd).
Greywater Management
- Addressing the management of greywater to ensure efficient and sustainable utilisation.
Support Activities
- Undertaking support activities such as Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives, Human Resource Development (HRD), training programs, utility development, the establishment of water quality laboratories, water quality testing, surveillance, research and development (R&D), knowledge centers, capacity building of communities, and more.
Addressing Unforeseen Challenges and Natural Disasters
- Dealing with unforeseen challenges or issues arising from natural disasters or calamities that may affect the mission’s goal of providing FHTCs to every household by 2024, as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Finance on Flexi Funds.
Jal Jeevan Mission Status of Household Tap Connections
- When the Jal Jeevan Mission started, 17% of rural homes had tap water.
- Now, 7.81 Crore more homes have tap water because of the mission.
- As of 30 January 2023, 57% of rural homes in India have tap water.
- The Indian government talks with states to make sure things are going well.
- They have meetings, video calls, and teams visit places to check on progress.
- They use a special online system, JJM-IMIS, to keep an eye on things.
- The JJM Dashboard shows how well the mission is doing in different areas.
- There’s also an online system for managing money transparently.
As JJM progresses, the number of tap connections provided to households has been increasing year by year.
Challenges of Jal Jeevan Mission
Despite its ambitious goals, JJM faces several challenges, including:
- Geographic diversity, which affects the feasibility of implementing uniform solutions.
- Rapid urbanisation leading to increasing demand.
- Financial constraints, particularly in smaller municipalities. That is the financial challenge. There has to be significant funding which could prove to be a major challenge.
- Behavioural change in communities for water conservation.
Way Forward
To ensure the success of JJM(U), it is crucial to have proper coordination between various government agencies, private partners, and communities. Innovative solutions, efficient management, and active participation of all stakeholders are key to achieving the vision and objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban).
Conclusion
Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) is a monumental step towards ensuring water security in urban India. Through comprehensive coverage, sustainability measures, and community engagement, JJM(U) holds the potential to significantly improve the quality of life and foster socio-economic development in urban areas.
The success of the mission will largely depend on effective execution, monitoring, and the collective effort of government, communities, and individuals in conserving and managing the precious resource of water.
