The Centre, under its Viksit Bharat vision, aims to ensure clean and safe drinking water directly from taps across India, enhancing water security and public health.

Target for Drinking Water under Viksit Bharat 2047

• Universal Tap Water Access: Shift from bottled water and water tankers to providing clean, safe drinking water directly from taps in both urban and rural areas.
• Strengthening Water Infrastructure: Improve water treatment systems and build sustainable infrastructure to support reliable and equitable water supply.
• Focus on Water Recycling and Reuse: Promote recycling of 10,000 MLD (Million Litres per Day) of water for agriculture, industry, and urban needs.
• Enhancing Groundwater Sustainability: Implement measures like groundwater recharge, aquifer restoration, and water body rejuvenation to ensure long-term water availability.
• Integration of Smart Technologies: Digitise water infrastructure with smart meters, sensors, and remote monitoring systems for real-time water management.

Status of India’s Drinking Water Availability

• Har Ghar Jal Progress: Significant strides made under the Har Ghar Jal initiative, but complete tap water access is still pending in several regions.
• Urban-Rural Divide: While urban areas show better tap water coverage, many rural areas still rely on handpumps, tankers, and bottled water.
• Groundwater Depletion: Over-extraction of groundwater remains a concern, impacting sustainable drinking water availability across many states.
• Water Contamination Issues: Instances of waterborne diseases highlight gaps in water quality and treatment, particularly in rural belts.
• Dependence on External Sources: Many cities continue to depend on external freshwater sources due to inadequate local water resource management.

Gaps in Target for Drinking Water Availability

• Infrastructure Deficiencies: Lack of modern water treatment and distribution networks hampers reliable tap water access in remote and peri-urban areas.
• Slow Progress in Water Body Rejuvenation: Efforts to revive lakes, ponds, and rivers are ongoing but slow, affecting groundwater recharge and local water availability.
• Inadequate Recycling Mechanisms: Industrial and agricultural water recycling remains limited, putting stress on already depleting freshwater sources.
• Data and Monitoring Gaps: Limited real-time tracking and monitoring of water distribution lead to inefficiencies and unaddressed leakages.

Government of India Initiatives for Drinking Water Availability and Management

• Jal Jeevan Mission: Aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 in rural India.
  • It has now been Extended till 2028
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal): Focuses on sustainable groundwater management through community participation and efficient water use.
• AMRUT 2.0: Seeks to ensure universal water supply coverage in urban areas and promote water recycling and reuse.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: A campaign for water conservation and groundwater recharge across the most water-stressed districts in the country.
• National Water Mission: Targets a 20% improvement in water use efficiency through comprehensive resource management.
• Namami Gange Mission: Focuses on cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga River and improving associated water ecosystems.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: Enhances irrigation efficiency and ensures water conservation in agricultural practices.
• Mission Amrit Sarovar: Revives and develops over 75 water bodies in each district to strengthen local water resources.

DOWNLOAD PDF