Syllabus
GS Paper 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Applications where to apply?
When asked about
– Jal jeevan mission
– Water Stress
– WASH initiatives
Context
The article highlights the achievements and impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a flagship initiative aimed at providing clean tap water to all rural households in India.
Source
The Hindu | Editorial dated 25 January 2024
Providing clean water to all
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a flagship program of the Government of India launched in 2019 to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all rural households by 2024. This ambitious initiative aims to transform the lives of millions of people living in rural India by addressing the long-standing challenge of water scarcity and ensuring access to clean water, a basic human right.
Key Objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission:
- Provide functional tap water connections to every rural household by 2024.
- Ensure availability of adequate quantity of prescribed quality of water on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household.
- Promote community ownership and involvement in water management.
- Strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for planning, implementing, and managing water supply systems.
- Sustainability of water sources and infrastructure.
Scheme implementation:
- Over 5.29 lakh village water and sanitation committees/ Pani Samitis have been constituted under the Jal Jeevan Mission and 5.17 lakh village action plans have been developed.
- Jal Jeevan Mission has a dashboard that gives realtime updates, progress reports, and so on, ensuring transparency and efficiency in water resource,
- It also ensures continuous monitoring and surveillance of water quality parameters through advanced technologies.
- The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation maintains a proactive Water Quality Management Information System. This helps detect contamination or deterioration in water quality, thereby enabling prompt corrective action and grievance redress.
- As of now, there are 2,113 labs in India. Water quality testing labs of States/Union Territories are now open to the public for testing water samples at nominal rates.
- At the national level, focus was on strengthening infrastructure. It wasn’t one size fitsall arrangement.
- Insulated pipes were used in hilly and cold regions.
- In villages with water quality issues, multi village schemes through bulk water transfer were planned.
- Community water purification plants were provided to meet drinking and cooking water needs for the short term.
Positive Impacts:
JJM provided tap water to 73% of rural households. This means that more than 14 crore rural households have tap connections compared to only 3.23 crore in August 2019.
- JJM is helping towards the realisation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation for all).
- Reduced Migration: Improved access to clean water in villages like Kyarkuli Bhatta in Uttarakhand has mitigated water scarcity, leading to a decrease in migration and fostering rural development.
- Improved Health:
- Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Kremer’s study states that providing safe water can reduce infant deaths by almost 30%, with the potential to prevent 25% of under five deaths in India.
- A study conducted in the financial year 2023-24 by the World Health Organization states that 4 lakh diarrhoeal deaths can be averted if tap water is provided in every household
- Reduced human-animal conflict in Kusumdih in Jharkhand
- Better sanitation in Chandpur showcase the mission’s positive impact on health and hygiene.
- Economic Growth: Studies estimate the JJM’s potential to generate significant employment and economic savings, contributing to rural prosperity.
- Jal Jeevan Mission can lead to economic savings of up to $101 billion or ₹8.37 lakh crore.
- ‘Assessment of Employment Potential of Jal Jeevan Mission’, states that the Mission’s employment generation potential during the construction phase is on average 59.93 lakh person years of direct employment and 2.22 crore person years of indirect employment and 11.18 lakh person years of additional direct employment annually during the operation and maintenance stage.
- Women Empowerment: Active participation of women in decision-making and skill development programs like Nal Jal Mitra empower them and foster community ownership.
- Environmental Sustainability: Focus on water conservation and community-based management promotes sustainable water resource management.
Conclusion
The Jal Jeevan Mission is a transformative initiative that is making a significant impact on the lives of millions of people in rural India. By addressing the challenge of water scarcity and ensuring access to clean water, the JJM is contributing to improved health, empowerment, and economic development in rural communities.
RELATED TOPICS
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action that unites 193 countries around the world. The SDGs were created in 2012 at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro.The SDGs aim to improve life on Earth for everyone by 2030. However, according to the 2023 SDG Progress Report, only 15% of the SDGs are on track.
Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)
In the Budget 2021-22, Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) was announced under the MInistry of Housing of Urban Affairs to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households.
References
https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/
Practice Question
Enumerate salient features of Jal Jeevan Mission. Analyse its impact in rural India [150 words]