Jal Jeevan Mission Yojana(JJMY): Objectives, Benefits & Achievements | UPSC

Jal Jeevan Mission Yojana (JJMY), introduced by the Government of India in 2019, is an initiative to ensure all villages in India have safe and sufficient drinking water while aiming to provide safe and adequate drinking water to all rural households in India. The scheme offers water to all households by 2024 through individual household tap connections (FHTCs), providing 55 litres of water per capita per day (LPCD). JJM maintains water quality, water management, and sustainability in rural areas. It is operational at the state, local authority, and Panchayats.

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What is Jal Jeevan Mission?

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched on 15th August 2019, seeks to ensure tap water supply to every rural household, with a target of 55 litres per person per day. Initially set for completion by 2024, the deadline has been extended to 2028. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

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An Overview of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJMY)

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a flagship program of the Government of India. It provides Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household in the country by 2024. The mission was launched on 15th August 2019 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Background of Jal Jeevan Mission

In 1972, the Central Government initiated support for rural water supply with the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme. Renamed the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) in 2009, it became a centrally sponsored scheme with fund sharing between the Centre and States. NRDWP aimed to ensure safe and adequate drinking water access for all households within premises by 2030, aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. However, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to achieve this by 2024.

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Some of the primary objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission include the following:

• Provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household.
• Focus on providing FHTCs in quality-affected areas, drought-prone and desert areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages, etc.
• Provide functional tap connections to Schools, Anganwadi centres, GP buildings, Health centres, wellness centres, and community buildings.
• Monitor the functionality of tap connections.
• Promoting voluntary ownership among the local community. This is through cash, kind, and/or labour contributions and voluntary labour (shramdaan).
• Ensure the water supply system is sustainable for regular operation and maintenance (O&M).
• Empower and develop human resources in the water sector to meet short and long-term demands.
• Raise awareness on safe drinking water. Involve stakeholders to make water everyone's business.

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Key components of the Jal Jeevan Mission are:

• Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connections to every rural household.
• Development of reliable drinking water sources. Augmentation of existing sources for long-term sustainability.
• Construction of bulk water transfer systems, treatment plants, and distribution networks to cater to every rural household.
• Technological interventions to address water quality issues and remove contaminants.
• Retrofitting completed and ongoing schemes to provide FHTCs at a minimum service level of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd).
• Implementation of greywater management systems.
• Addressing unforeseen challenges arising from natural disasters that may affect the goal of providing FHTCs to every household by 2024.

Learn more about the United Nations World Water Development Report!

Significant Features of Jal Jeevan Yojana

Jal Jeevan Mission is characterised by a range of distinctive features that set it apart as a transformative endeavour:

• Community Participation: The mission promotes community involvement in implementing, managing, and planning water supply systems in the local communities. This practice helps bring in an element of ownership and responsibility for residents.
• Infrastructure Development: To pursue its goals, the mission emphasises completing water supply infrastructure, such as tap connections, a water treatment plant, storage and a distribution channel. Such a broad plan guarantees a sustainable future.
• Technological Integration: Jal Jeevan Mission considers technological innovations to improve the water supply management process. Automatic monitoring, live data capture, and analytics are essential in monitoring water quality and usage trends.
• Capacity Building: Capacity building and training programs ensure the mission succeeds. These programs enable the local water committees and employees to acquire the appropriate skills to sustain and operate water provision systems.

Learn more about the National Water Mission!

Benefits of Jal Jeevan Mission

The benefits of the Jal Jeevan Mission are far-reaching and impactful, contributing to various facets of society:

• Health and Sanitation: The mission significantly reduces the prevalence of waterborne diseases by providing access to clean and safe drinking water and improving public health and sanitation conditions.
• Women's Empowerment: Accessible water supply reduces the burden of water collection, which women in rural areas often bear. This gives them more time to engage in other productive activities, contributing to their empowerment.
• Economic Growth: An Improved water supply can foster agricultural development and economic growth in rural communities, increasing farm productivity and higher incomes.
• Environmental Sustainability: Through sustainable water management practices, Jal Jeevan Mission promotes water conservation and ecological sustainability, safeguarding precious water resources for future generations.

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Key Achievements of Jal Jeevan Yojana

Some of the significant achievements of Jal Jeevan Mission Yojana include the following:

• Over 15 crore rural households (approximately 80%) now have access to piped water, a substantial increase from 3.23 crore (17%) in 2019.
• Several States and Union Territories have achieved 100% coverage, including Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Telangana, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, and Puducherry.
• Tap water supply has been provided to many schools and Anganwadi centres nationwide.

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Challenges in the Implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission

Despite the progress, the mission faces several challenges:

• Last-mile connectivity: Reaching remote and geographically challenging areas remains a hurdle.
• Financial and technical capabilities of states: Disparities in the capacity of states to implement and manage the schemes can lead to uneven progress.
• Water source sustainability: Ensuring long-term water availability is critical, especially in water-stressed regions.
• Water quality: Addressing contamination issues and ensuring the supply of prescribed quality water (per BIS standards) is an ongoing challenge.
• Operation and Maintenance (O&M): Establishing effective O&M mechanisms at the village level is crucial for the long-term success of the mission. Many states are still in the process of notifying O&M policies.
• Underutilization of Funds: Reports suggest that a significant portion of allocated funds has remained unspent in previous fiscal years, highlighting the need for improved execution efficiency.
• Insufficient Water Quality Testing Laboratories (WQTLs): The number of accredited WQTLs must be increased to ensure adequate water quality monitoring across all rural areas.

Also Read: What is the Green India Mission (GIM)?

Prime Actions to Enhance the Functioning of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Substantial investment in quality infrastructure, authentic data through audits and geotagging, adoption of performance-based financing, promoting RTE with regular water testing, integrated financial reforms with water conservation, and an effective repair and maintenance framework are the key to the success of the Mission.

• Strengthen Infrastructure Quality: Enforce restoration clauses, link contractor payments to verified quality checks, and adopt integrated planning to ensure durable and accountable water supply systems.
• Ensure Data Credibility: Mandate third-party audits, introduce geotagging of projects, and develop a public dashboard to enhance transparency and track real-time progress effectively.
• Adopt Performance-based Funding: Deploy task forces in lagging states and link central assistance to states' performance, ensuring accountability and faster execution.
• Promote Awareness & Water Testing: Mandate regular water quality testing by gram panchayats and community awareness drives to ensure safe piped water and active citizen participation.
• Integrate Financial & Conservation Reforms: Revise the ₹12,000 SBM-G incentive, align JJM with rainwater harvesting initiatives and the Atal Bhujal Yojana, to promote financial sustainability and water resource conservation.
• Institutionalise Repair & Maintenance: Formulate a nationwide repair and maintenance framework with periodic reviews, ensuring uninterrupted water supply and long-term system sustainability.

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