To translate the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of providing clean tap water to every household in the country by 2024, Jal Jeevan Mission,working with speed and scale, has today achieved a milestone of providing tap water supply to every household in 1 lakh villages across India, in a short period of 23 months. At the launch of this ambitious programme, out of 18.94 Crore rural households in country, only 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water connections. Despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission provided 4.49 Crore tap water connections during 23 months and has also made 50 thousand Gram Panchayats ‘Har Ghar Jal’ by providing tap water supply to every household in these panchayats.

Today tap water supply has reached to 7.72 Crore (40.77%) households. Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry have achieved 100% tap water supply in rural areas and has become ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Following the principle of Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, the motto of the Mission is that ‘no one is left out’ and every household in a village should be provided with tap water connection. At present, 71 districts, 824 blocks, 50,309 Gram Panchayats and 1,00,275 villages have achieved the target of ‘Har Ghar Jal’.

Announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15^th August 2019, in a paradigm shift from earlier water supply programmes, Jal Jeevan Mission focuses on water service delivery rather than providing mere water supply infrastructure. Under JJM, aim is to ensure that every household irrespective of its socio-economic condition, has tap water supply. The JJM is built on the principle of ‘no one is left out’ ensuring poorest of the poor, weaker and marginalized sections of society – those unserved so far, get assured potable tap water supply in their homes. Assured availability of drinking water in homes will save the women and young girls of centuries old drudgery faced by them across rural India. It will improve theirhealth, education and socio- economic conditions. Further, tap water connection in every rural home, brings dignity to the people as it bridges the urban–rural gap and brings ‘ease of living’ in accessing safe water.

To achieve this mammoth goal of providing tap water supply to every rural household in a short period of five years, Rs 3.60 lakh Crore have been allocated by the government. In 2020-21 an amount of Rs 11,000 Crore was allocated for the States/ UTs. For 2021-22, i.e. current financial year a four-fold increase in fund allocation has been approved by the Union Minister Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, so that there is no dearth of fund requirement to achieve the goal. In just three months, Rs 8,891 Crore has been drawn by the States/UTs based on the fund utilization and requirement proposed under their Annual Action Plans (AAPs).

In 2021-22, Rs 26,940 Crore has been allocated to States as 15th Finance Commission tied grant for water & sanitation to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs. There is an assured funding of Rs 1,42,084 Crore for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26. This huge investment in rural areas across the country, will accelerate economic activities and boost rural economy. It will create new employment opportunities in villages.

Jal Jeevan Mission is a ‘bottom up’ approach, where community plays a vital role starting from planning to implementation, management, operation & maintenance. To achieve this, State Government has to undertake support activities like strengthening the Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Pani Samiti, developing of Village Action Plan for next five years, engaging Implementing State Agencies (ISAs) to handhold & support village communities, and carry out awareness among people. So far 2.67 lakh VWSCs or Pani Samitis have been constituted and 1.84 lakh Village Action Plans have been developed across India.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, water-scarce areas, quality-affected villages, Aspirational districts, SC/ST majority villages and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) villages are prioritized for providing tap water supply. During last 23 months, tap water supply has increased four-fold from 7% to 33% in 117 Aspirational districts. Similarly, more than 97 lakh households have been provided with tap water supply in 61 districts affected by Japanese Encephalitis- Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (JE-IES). 696 SAGY villages and 29,063 SC/ST majority villages have become ‘Har Ghar Jal.’

To ensure safe tap water to children in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadicentres in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 100-days campaign, which was launched by the Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 2nd October 2020. As a result, States/ UTs like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands have made provision of tap water in all schools, ashramshalas and anganwadicentres. So far, 6,76,789 schools (65.7%) and 6,74,611 (59.8%) anganwadicentre across the country have been provided with potable tap water supply in adequate quantity for drinking and cooking mid-day meals, handwashing and use in toilets. Central Government has asked the States/ UTs to ensure that in few months, provision of safe tap water is made in all remaining schools, ashramshalas and anganwadicentres for better health, improved sanitation and hygiene for children.

Water quality monitoring & surveillance activities are being given top priority, for which anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, members of Self-Help Groups, PRI members, school teachers etc; are being trained so that they can test water samples for contamination by using Field test Kits (FTKs). There are 2,015 laboratories across the country. 195 water laboratories have been NABL accredited with improved infrastructure and trained technicians. State are upgrading water testing laboratories and securing NABL accreditation. These labs are open to public so that they can get their water samples tested at nominal cost.

Jal Jeevan Mission leverages the use of technology to ensure transparency, accountability, proper utilization of funds and service delivery. A robust JJM-IMIS captures physical and financial progress under JJM with a dedicated Dashboard put out in public domain, which can be accessed at https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx A sensor based IoT solution is piloted for measuring and monitoring water supply with respect to quantity, quality and regularity of water supply in villages on a real-time basis. Every water supply asset created is photo geo-tagged. Hydro-geo morphological (HGM) maps are used in planning single village scheme for identifying drinking water sources as well are constructing aquifer recharge structures. Household tap connections provided under Har Ghar Jal programme are linked with Aadhar number of the head of household and more importantly all financial transactions are undertaken through Public Finance Management System (PFMS).

Working in partnership with States, Jal Jeevan Mission is making all efforts to ensure tap water supply of adequate quantity &in prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis to every rural household in India by 2024.

(Published from PIB)

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An independent appraisal reportreleased by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has lauded the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) ‘as a very successful model of local area development that should serve as a best practice for several countries where regional disparities in development status persist for many reasons.’

With concerted efforts made under ADP, these 117 districts in remote locations with low human development indicators and basic facilities, have experienced faster development. Jal Jeevan Mission has played a key role to make it possible. On 15^th August, 2019, when Jal Jeevan Mission was announced, only 24.58 lakh (7%) households in Aspirational Districts had tap water supply. In a short span of 22 months, tap water connections have been provided to additional 84 lakh households in thesedistricts and thus now 31.37% household have assured tap water supply. This 24% increase in coverage in aspirational districts is more than 22.72% increase in tap water supply across the country during these 22 months.

The Aspirational Districts Programme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, 2018 as a part of government’s effort to raise the living standards of citizens livingin 117 districts which were lagging behind in various human development index parameters.

Jal Jeevan Mission is a key programme reducing deep inequalities in these districts. Following the principle of Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, the motto of the Mission is that ‘no one is left out’ and every household in a village should be provided with tap water connection.

At the start of Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019, out of a total of 19.20 Crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water supply. During the last 22 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission, has been implemented with speed and 4.36 Crore households have been provided with piped connections. With the increase in coverage by about 23%, presently 7.59 Crore (39.58%) rural households across the country have tap water supply. Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry have achieved 100% household connection in rural areas and has become ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Translating the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of providing clean tap water to every household, at present, every household in 63 districts and about 94 thousand villages has tap water supply.

Union Minister, Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in his letters to the Chief Ministers of States have been constantly reiterating the emphasis given by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide tap water on priority in next few months to all households in Aspirational Districts, SC/ST majority villages and quality-affected areas.

All 3 Aspirational Districts of Telangana have become ‘Har Ghar Jal.’It is expected that all households in villages of Aspirational Districts in Bihar in 2021, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Punjab and Sikkim in 2022 will get tap water connections.

Among the States, Bihar has done a lot of good work in Aspirational Districts. Now, 72% households in 13 Aspirational Districts in State have tap water supply. In Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, which is an Aspirational District,82% rural households have been provided with tap water connection under Jal Jeevan Mission. Similarly, 77% households in Narmada, an Aspirational District in Gujarat, has tap water supply. Villages in this hilly region with rocky aquifer and low ground water lever, had no reliable source of drinking water. A multi-village scheme of two water treatment plants was planned on Ukai reservoir. The scheme is now providing potable water in 221 villages covering 2.75 lakh people.

To ensure safe tap water to children in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 100-days campaign, which was launched by the Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 2^ndOctober 2020. As a result, States/ UTs like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands have made provision of tap water in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres.

For other States, Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in his letters to the Chief Ministers has urged them to ensure that in few months provision of safe tap water is made in all remaining schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres of their States for better health, improved sanitation and hygiene for children.

Jal Jeevan Mission announced by the Prime Minister on 15^thAugust 2019 from Red Fort is under implementation in partnership with States/ UTs to provide tap water connection to every rural household of the country by 2024. Total budget for Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 is ₹50,011 Crore. With State’s own resources and ₹26,940 Crore as 15^thFinance Commission tied grant for water and sanitation to RLBs/ PRIs, this year, more than ₹ 1 lakh Crore are being invested in rural drinking water supply sector. This is creating new employment opportunities in villages and boosting the rural economy.

(Published from PIB)

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The Jal Jeevan Mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15^th August, 2019 with the aim to provide tap water connection to every rural household by 2024 has reached a new milestone by providing 3.53 Crore rural household tap water connections.

As on 15^th August 2019, out of 18.93 Crore rural households, 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water connections. The untiring efforts of States/ UTs have helped Jal Jeevan Mission provide 3.53 Crore tap water connections. Further, every family living in 52 districts and 77 thousand villages are getting assured tap water supply in their homes. Now 6.76 Crore (35.24%) i.e. more than 1/3^rd of rural households are getting potable water through taps.

Goa has become the first State in the country to provide 100% tap water connection followed by Telangana. States/ UTs are now competing with each other and focusing on the target to ensure that every household in the country gets safe drinking water adhering to the core principle of ‘equity & inclusiveness’.

Jal Jeevan Mission is working in partnership with the States with an aim to provide potable water in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis. Extensive planning exercise was undertaken by the States/ UTs following ‘bottom-up approach’. Accordingly, they have firmed up the Action Plan to provide tap water connection to every rural household. While implementing, States are giving priority to water quality-affected areas, village in drought prone and desert areas, Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe majority villages, aspirational districts and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna villages.

Jal Jeevan Mission journey so far has been filled with challenges and disruptions as the entire world battled with CoVid-19 pandemic. All developmental and construction work has got badly affected during lockdown in most parts of the country. Hand washing has become the most important tool for safety of individuals to fight the pandemic. States/ UTs continued building water supply infrastructure following precautions like social distancing and using masks. Continuous work despite CoVid-19 proved to be a boon for the villages, which provided employment to the migrants who had returned to their villages. The labour force which returned to their hometown were skilled in construction work and had in the past worked as masons, plumbers, fitters, pump operators in the cities.

Potable water supply to water quality-affected habitations is a top priority under Jal Jeevan Mission. Efforts are made to ensure safe drinking water to all quality-affected villages especially Arsenic and Fluoride affected rural habitations. JJM gives highest priority to potability of drinking water, which will reduce water-borne diseases and improve health of people. States/ UTs are upgrading water quality testing laboratories and opening them to public enabling them to get their water samples tested at nominal rates.

(Published from PIB)

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