🗞️ Why in the News?
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has requested ₹2.79 lakh crore in Central funds to complete the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), highlighting a critical funding gap.
🌊 What is Jal Jeevan Mission?
📅 Launched: August 2019
🎯 Objective:
To provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural
household by 2024 under the motto “Har Ghar Jal”.
🧱 Key Goals:
- Ensure 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd)
- Promote community-managed, sustainable water supply systems
- Ensure source sustainability and greywater reuse
- Boost transparency and grassroots planning
📈 JJM Progress Snapshot (as of March 31, 2025)
- ✅ Tap Water Access: 14.56 crore rural households (~73%) covered
- 🏆 100% Coverage Achieved in 13 States/UTs (e.g., Goa, Gujarat, Telangana)
- 🚰 2.12 lakh “Har Ghar Jal” certified villages
- 🏡 6.2 lakh Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) formed
- 👩🔬 4 lakh women trained in water quality testing
💰 Funding Status & Challenges
📊 Original Budget: ₹3.60 lakh crore (Centre + States)
- Centre’s Allocation So Far: ₹1.58 lakh crore
- Disbursed Amount: ₹1.12 lakh crore
🆘 Funding Shortfall:
- Ministry has requested ₹2.79 lakh crore
- Interim panel approved only ₹1.42 lakh crore
- Implication: Lag in water access for large states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan
🧩 Challenges on the Ground
🧭 Geographic Barriers:
Remote, hilly, and tribal regions (e.g., Northeast, Chhattisgarh)
💧 Source Sustainability:
Drought-prone zones face groundwater depletion
🧑🔧 Manpower Issues:
Shortage of trained staff at local levels
⚠️ Water Contamination:
Fluoride, arsenic, and iron affect water potability in several areas
🏘️ Role of States & Communities
- VWSCs: Key to village-level planning and O&M
- VAPs (Village Action Plans): Ensure local, need-based execution
- Capacity Building: Community training and empowerment, especially among women
🔭 What’s Next Beyond 2024?
🛠️ Strengthening Infrastructure
- Water quality surveillance
- Greywater reuse systems
- Lifecycle-based budgeting for O&M
🔄 Convergence with National Schemes:
- MGNREGA for water security infrastructure
- SBM 2.0 and health programs for integrated impact
- 📌 Strategic Recommendations
- 💵 Increase funding via CSR, multilateral aid, or PPP models
- 🎯 Prioritise low-coverage states with special assistance
- 🩺 Align water access with health, nutrition, and education policies