New Delhi:
The Government has released Rs 5,968 crore to 15 states for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the financial year 2021-22.
This is the first tranche of the four to be released in this financial year. The other 17 States/UTs have been asked to send their proposals to the National Jal Jeevan Mission for release of funds.
Of the central funds allocated under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 93 percent is to be utilized on developing water supply infrastructure, 5 per cent on support activities and 2 percent on water quality monitoring and surveillance.
The Central funds are released by the Government based on the output in terms of tap water connections provided in the States/ UTs and the utilization of available Central funds and matching State share.
As a top priority being accorded by the Government, the budgetary allocation of Jal Jeevan Mission has increased significantly to Rs. 50,011 Crore in 2021-22. In addition to this, the 15th Finance Commission tied grants of Rs. 26,940 Crore will also be available to PRIs for 'water and sanitation services. In addition, the fund is also available through matching State share and externally aided projects.
Thus, in 2021-22, more than Rs. 1 lakh Crore is planned to be invested in the country on ensuring tap water supply to rural homes. It is expected that this kind of investment is likely to continue over the next three years to achieve the goal of 'Har Ghar Jal'.
This enhanced budgetary allocation will have a huge impact on the rural economy in terms of employment generation both skilled and unskilled required for creation as well as operation and maintenance of drinking water supply infrastructure, greywater treatment and its reuse.
It will boost massive infrastructure creation activities leading to productive assets in the villages. Increase in demand for motors, faucets, taps, pipes, etc. under JJM will give a huge push to the manufacturing sector as work commences in all remaining villages.
To develop and maintain in-village water supply systems, skilling of village people to prepare a cadre of masons, plumbers, pump operators, etc. taken up for providing huge employment opportunities.
Announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 15th August 2019, with the aim to provide assured tap water supply to every rural home by 2024, Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in partnership with States/ UTs. Despite challenges faced due to the COVID19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, over 4.17 Crore (21.76 %) households have been provided with a tap water supply. Now, 7.41 Crore (38.62 %) rural households are getting potable water through taps.
Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry have become 'Har Ghar Jal' State/ UT. Further, following the principle of equity and inclusiveness i.e. 'no one in the village is left out, under Jal, Jeevan Mission assured tap water supply made to every rural family living in 61 districts and over 89 thousand villages. States/ UTs are now competing with each other and focusing on the target to ensure that every household in the country gets safe drinking water so that 'no one in the village is left out.
While implementing, States/ UTs are to prioritize water quality-affected areas, villages in drought-prone and desert areas, Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe majority villages, Aspirational & JE-AES affected districts and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana villages to provide all households with tap water connection in an expeditious manner.
Apart from awareness, communication and capacity building, the support activities include empowering Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)/ Pani Samitis, preparation and approval of Village Action Plans (VAPs). The States/ UTs are also to implement intense training and skilling programmes for local community members as masons, plumbers, electricians, motor mechanics, fitter, pump operators, etc.
Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQMS) activities are given priority viz. setting up of laboratories, its accreditation/ upgradation, provide training/ capacity building, carry out IEC activities, five persons especially women from each village to be trained to conduct water quality tests using Field Test Kits at the village level, schools and Anganwadi centres.
To bring transparency and make information available to a citizen, NJJM has developed a JJM dashboard wherein the online progress of implementation and status of tap water supply is available in the public domain. The JJM dashboard not only provides detailed information of the country but one can see the status of implementation and progress at the State/ UT level, district level and village level.
The JJM dashboard also shows the 'sensor-based IoT pilot project going on different villages which shows the status of daily water supply in terms of quantity, quality and regularity. In these pilots, one can see the quality of water and per capita supply on daily basis. This dashboard can be accessed at: https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx.