Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a major effort of the Indian government that aims to provide clean and enough drinking water to every rural home via individual household tap connections. Through effective planning and execution, it places a strong emphasis on sustainability, community involvement, and water quality monitoring. Under a single framework, JJM also incorporates and maintains a number of previous water supply and quality initiatives.

What is Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)?

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at providing safe and adequate drinking water to all rural households by 2024. This programme will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, rain water harvesting.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): Background

• 1972- The Central Government initiated assistance to States for rural water supply with the launch of Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP).
• 2009: ARWSP was renamed as NRDWP, becoming a centrally sponsored scheme with fund sharing between the Centre and the States.
  • NRDWP objective was to “enable all households to have access to and use safe & adequate drinking water within premises to the extent possible.”
• 2019- Government of Indiarestructured and subsumed the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household.
• Jal Jeevan Mission Launch Date- 15 August 2019
• Nodal Agency- Ministry of Jal Shakti

Finance Structure of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Total estimated cost of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is Rs. 3.60 Lakh Crore. Fund sharing pattern between Centre and State

• 90:10 sharing model (90% by Centre and 10% by States) for Himalayan (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and North-Eastern States.
• 100:0 (100% by Centre) for UTs and 
• 50:50 (50% by Centre and 50% by States) for the rest of the States. 

Aim of Jal Jeevan Mission

It aims to provide safe drinking water to all rural households by 2024 by supplying 55 liters of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.

Objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC)- Ensuring Access to Clean Water for Every Rural Household.
• Prioritizing FHTCs in Critical Areas- Focusing on Quality-Affected, Drought-Prone, and Desert Areas, and SAGY Villages.
• Extending Tap Connections to Key Institutions- Ensuring Functional Tap Connections for Schools, Anganwadi Centers, GP Buildings, Health Centers, Wellness Centers, and Community Buildings.
• Ensuring Sustainability of Water Supply Systems- Addressing Water Source, Infrastructure, and Ongoing Operations & Maintenance for Long-Term Viability.

Benefits of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Enhancing Public Health and Well-being- Jal Jeevan Mission will improve health outcomes by providing secure and sufficient water access at the household level, effectively mitigating the prevalence of water-borne diseases, infections, and malnutrition in rural communities. 
• Empowerment by reducing hardship- Jal Jeevan Mission empowers women and children by relieving them from the laborious task of fetching water from distant and often unsafe sources, freeing up substantial time and energy. 
• Elevating Socio-economic status- Easing in getting water ultimately reduces physical and mental burden on the individual and enables individuals to utlise their time to pursue education, empowerment, and livelihood opportunities, positively impacting their socioeconomic status and overall well-being. Additionally, the provision of water for domestic needs reduces the workload and enhances the comfort of rural households.
• Stimulating Rural Economy- Jal Jeevan Mission catalyzes economic growth by generating employment opportunities at the local level, encompassing the planning, implementation, operation, and maintenance of water supply systems. 
• Environment Conservation and Protection- The mission plays a pivotal role in environmental conservation by alleviating stress on groundwater resources, preventing pollution of surface water sources, and fostering practices like rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and afforestation.
• Promoting Social Harmony and Inclusion- Jal Jeevan Mission ensures equitable water distribution, particularly benefiting marginalized groups such as the poor, women, SCs/STs, who often face discrimination in accessing water.
• Community Participation- The initiative fosters community participation and ownership throughout the planning, implementation, and maintenance of water supply systems, thereby nurturing social harmony and cohesion among diverse groups.
• Contributing to National Development Goals- Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 6, Jal Jeevan Mission actively contributes to national aspirations of achieving universal access to safe drinking water.
• Empowering Rural Women- Ensuring accessible drinking water at home improves health, socioeconomic conditions, and reduces the daily burdens on rural women and girls.
• Reduced Financial Strain on Government Resources –The initiative optimizes tap water distribution, reducing storage needs and enhancing lifestyles, thereby mitigating health and mental stressors. Through judicious fund allocation, JJM seeks to alleviate the government’s financial burden.

Features of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Monitoring Tap Connection- Implementing Robust Mechanisms to Track and Ensure the Functionality of Tap Connections.
• Promoting Voluntary Ownership- Encouraging Community Involvement Through Cash, Kind, Labor, and Voluntary Contributions (Shramdaan).
• Empowering Human Resources- Developing Skills in Construction, Plumbing, Electrical Work, Water Quality Management, Treatment, Catchment Protection.
• Awareness on Safe Drinking Water- Educating Stakeholders on the Importance and Various Aspects of Safe Drinking Water.
• Participation and responsibility- Involving Stakeholders to Ensure Collective Responsibility and Participation in Water Management.
• Creation of Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh- For the people who would like to contribute and donate voluntarily for water supply in the rural areas food them a ‘Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh’ has been created to mobilize and accept donations to fund Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• Target oriented Benefit- For targeted delivery and monitoring of specific outcomes, every functional tap connection is to be linked with the Aadhar number of the head of the household. All financial transactions are undertaken through the Public Finance Management System (PFMS).
• Jal Jeevan Mission leverages the use of technology to ensure transparency, accountability, proper utilization of funds, and service delivery.
  • Every water supply asset created under Jal Jeevan Mission is geo-tagged.
  • Hydro-geo morphological (HGM) maps are used in planning a single village scheme to identify drinking water sources and construct aquifer recharge structures.

Components of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• In-Village Water Supply (PWS) Infrastructure- To provide Tap Water Connections to Every Household by ensuring comprehensive coverage of tap water supply within villages
• Reliable Drinking Water Source Development- Augmentation of Existing Sources for Reliable Drinking Water by enhancing and securing access to sustainable water sources for communities
• Transfer of Water (Multi-Village Scheme)- Addressing Quantity and Quality Issues in Local Water Sources by Implementing multi-village schemes to overcome water quantity and quality challenges
• Retrofitting of Piped Water Supply Schemes- Providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) and Service Level Enhancement by upgrading completed and ongoing schemes to meet higher service standards
• Grey Water Management- Efficient Handling and Management of Greywater by implementing systems to responsibly manage non-potable water within communities
• Capacity Building and Support Activities- Strengthening Stakeholders and Facilitating Implementation by Training programs, awareness campaigns, and support activities for effective scheme execution.
• Technological Intervention for Water Treatment- Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to reduce water contamination by adopting water testing facilities, research and development, and knowledge centres. Five women in each village are being trained to test water samples for any kind of contamination by using Field test Kits (FTKs).
• • The FTK helps to test the water on nine parameters viz; pH, alkalinity, chloride, nitrate, total hardness, fluoride, iron, residual free chlorine, and H2S.

Implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Bottom-Up Approach
  • Formation of Paani Samiti- Paani Samitis (Village Water & Sanitation Committee)  plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain village water supply systems. These consist of 10-15 members, with at least 50% women members and other members from Self-Help Groups, Accredited Social and Health Workers, Anganwadi teachers, etc.
  • Inclusion of Gram Sabha– The committees prepare a one-time village action plan, merging all available village resources. The plan is approved in a Gram Sabha before implementation.
• Institutional Mechanism for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):

Progress So far of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Significant Milestone – The nation has achieved a significant milestone with over 11.66 Crore (60%) rural households now having access to tap water supply in their homes.
• Remarkable Achievements in 5 States and 3 Union Territories- States like Gujarat, Telangana, Goa, Haryana, and Punjab, along with Union Territories Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli, and Puducherry, have reported 100% coverage, showcasing remarkable achievements.
• Clean Drinking Water in 1.55 Lakh Villages- More than 1.55 lakh villages, constituting 25% of the total, have reported ‘Har Ghar Jal,’ signifying that every household in these villages now has access to clean drinking water through taps.

Recent Development

• December 2023: The Meghalaya government Thursday said the state has surpassed the national average in providing tap water connections to households. At present, 72.37 per cent of households in the northeastern state have tap water connections, a sharp rise from 0.75 per cent in 2019.
• October 2023: The Uttarakhand government plans to employ about 8000 12th pas youth to implement Jal Jeevan Mission.

SWOT Analysis of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Here is a SWOT Analysis of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM);

Schemes /Sub-missions Subsumed under Jal Jeevan Mission

JJM now includes several of the continuing schemes that were part of the earlier National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), such as:

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project for low-income States (RWSSP-LIS): The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project for Low Income States (RWSSP-LIS) aims to improve water supply and sanitation in selected rural areas in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM): The National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM), launched in March 2017, aims to provide safe drinking water to 27,544 arsenic and fluoride-affected rural areas. States were advised to install Community Water Purification Plants as a short-term measure while planning piped water supply for long-term access. Under JJM, these schemes ensure Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) with 55 lpcd water supply to all rural households.

Japanese Encephalitis – Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (JE-AES): It provides clean drinking water through household tap connections in regions impacted by JE-AES. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has selected 60 districts most affected by JE-AES. Funds are given to states based on water contamination levels. Under JJM, 0.5% of the budget is used to provide safe piped water and tap connections of 55 lpcd to all rural homes.

Swajal: Swajal is a community-based programme running in aspirational districts to provide safe drinking water through single village water supply systems. Ongoing projects will continue under current guidelines and be completed on time. New projects will be taken up under JJM, and completed Swajal schemes without household tap connections (FHTCs) will be upgraded to meet JJM standards.

Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S): Regular water quality testing and surveillance using labs and community involvement are part of Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S). Water quality monitoring includes testing water samples in laboratories and by communities using Field Test Kits. Under JJM, samples are also collected from household taps. The Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S) program is now part of JJM and gets up to 2% of its funds.

Support activities: All previous NRDWP support activities have been merged into JJM and will receive up to 5% of JJM funds.

Way Forward to Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• Enhancing Capacity of Local Bodies: Provide support and resources to strengthen the capacity of local governance institutions in effectively managing and governing rural water supply systems.
• Promoting Community Participation: Foster active community participation in decision-making processes related to water infrastructure planning, implementation, and maintenance.
• Empowering Local Water User Committees: Strengthen the role of local water user committees in monitoring and regulating water supply services, promoting their active involvement in decision- making.
• Participatory Planning: Facilitate participatory planning processes, where water user associations actively contribute to the development of water management plans, considering local needs and priorities.

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