The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal of the Ministry of Jal Shakti to restructure and reorient the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The restructuring aims to shift the mission’s focus from infrastructure creation to a citizen-centric service delivery model, supported by improved drinking water governance and institutional systems for sustainable rural piped water supply.
About Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0
- Objectives:
- To provide tap water connections to all 19.36 crore rural households.
- To certify all Gram Panchayats as “Har Ghar Jal.”
- It also aims to ensure:
- Scheme sustainability
- Citizen-centric water service delivery
- Long-term operation and maintenance.
- Timeline: Target completion by December 2028.
- Separate MoUs will be signed with States/UTS to ensure adherence to timelines.
- Whole-of-Government Approach: JJM 2.0 will promote strategic convergence among various central government departments to ensure:
- Sustainable rural water infrastructure
- Long-term maintenance of water supply systems
- Protection of water sources.
Features of Restructured JJM (JJM 2.0)
- Enhanced Financial Outlay:
- Total outlay: ₹8.69 lakh crore
- Total central assistance: ₹3.59 lakh crore
- This represents an increase from the ₹2.08 lakh crore central assistance approved in 2019–20, implying an additional central share of ₹1.51 lakh crore.
- Introduction of “Sujalam Bharat” Digital Framework: It will be uniform national digital framework
- It will provide each village will receive a unique “Sujal Gaon / Service Area ID”.
- The system will digitally map the entire drinking water supply chain from source to tap.
- This framework will strengthen transparency, monitoring and accountability in water supply systems.
- Community Participation and Governance: The restructured mission emphasises local governance and community ownership.
- Jal Arpan Initiative: Under it, Gram Panchayat (GPs) and Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSCs) will participate in the commissioning and handover of drinking water schemes.
- Gram Panchayat can declare itself “Har Ghar Jal” only after confirming:
- Completion of infrastructure
- Availability of proper operation and maintenance systems.
- Annual “Jal Utsav”: It will be introduced as an annual community-led event to strengthen community ownership. The event will focus on
- Maintenance and review of village water systems
- Promoting public awareness
- Reinforcing collective responsibility for water sustainability.
Progress Achieved Under JJM
At the launch of the mission in 2019, 3.23 crore rural households (17%) had tap water connections.
Current Status
- 12.56 crore additional households have received connections.
- Out of 36 crore rural households, around 15.80 crore households (81.61%) now have tap water connections.
Impact of Jal Jeevan Mission
Various studies have highlighted significant social and economic impacts.
Key Findings
- SBI Research: Around 9 crore women freed from the task of fetching water.
- World Health Organization (WHO):
- 5.5 crore hours of women’s drudgery saved daily
- Prevention of 400,000 diarrhoeal deaths
- Saving of 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).
- Michael Kremer (Nobel Laureate): Potential 30% reduction in under-five mortality, saving 1.36 lakh lives annually.
- IIM Bangalore & International Labour Organization (ILO):
- 59.9 lakh direct person-years of employment
- 2.2 crore indirect person-years of employment.
- Women and girls have emerged as major beneficiaries, experiencing improvements in:
- Health and hygiene
- Dignity and safety
- Education and livelihood opportunities.
Significance
- Shift to Service-Based Water Supply: Transforms the mission from infrastructure-centric to citizen-centric water service delivery.
- Strengthening Water Governance: Empowers Gram Panchayats and local institutions.
- Women Empowerment: Reduces the burden of water collection and improves livelihoods.
- Public Health Improvement: Access to safe drinking water helps reduce waterborne diseases.
- Contribution to Viksit Bharat 2047: Supports the vision of assured 24×7 rural drinking water supply.