Challenges and Progress Under Jal Jeevan Mission: Bringing Potable Water to Rural India

With over 57% of rural households covered under the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the availability of potable tap water has transitioned from being a distant dream to a present-day reality for over 11 crore households across rural India.

This initiative, launched with the goal of ensuring universal access to clean drinking water, has made remarkable strides, addressing an issue that has long plagued rural areas. When JJM was first introduced, only 16.69% of rural households had tap water connections.

Today, the scale of progress under this mission is nothing short of astounding, and it is comparable to the monumental achievement of constructing 9.5 crore toilets across the country, which led Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare India Open Defecation Free (ODF).

The sheer scale of this achievement reflects the government’s growing capacity to push development projects aimed at improving living conditions, bringing about positive change at a pace that was previously considered unachievable.

However, despite the rapid progress, there are still numerous challenges that need to be addressed in order to ensure every rural household has access to safe drinking water.

The Road Ahead: Key Challenges

Despite covering over half of the rural households under JJM, the mission still faces significant hurdles. One of the primary concerns is ensuring that the remaining households, particularly those in remote and underserved areas, have access to safe drinking water. As highlighted in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water's report, 26,930 rural habitations in India are affected by water contamination, forcing people in these areas to rely on unsafe, polluted water sources that pose severe health risks. The committee’s report underscores the urgency of setting up Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) in these areas as an interim solution until piped water reaches every rural household.

Furthermore, even though the target of providing potable tap water to all rural households was set for March 2024, the task of covering approximately 43% of remaining households in just one year is an overwhelming challenge. The situation is particularly difficult in states like Assam, where only 43% of rural households are currently covered, up from just 1.66% in 2019. While significant progress has been made, further acceleration of the mission is required, especially considering the potential disruptions in the coming year, such as the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and seasonal floods that may halt work for several months.

Community Water Purification Plants: A Critical Need

The establishment of Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) is seen as a crucial step to address the immediate water contamination problem. These plants can provide localized solutions to communities affected by unsafe drinking water. As the government works to extend piped water connections to more rural households, CWPPs can act as a vital stopgap, offering safe, purified drinking water to those who would otherwise be left without. The parliamentary committee's emphasis on this approach highlights its importance as an interim measure to protect public health.

The Economic Impact of Safe Drinking Water

The availability of clean and safe drinking water is not just a health issue but also an economic one. Water-borne diseases significantly burden rural households, increasing the healthcare costs and eroding savings. This, in turn, affects the local economy, particularly in rural areas where most people are engaged in agriculture and allied activities. Safe drinking water, coupled with improved sanitation facilities, can substantially reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases, reducing health-related expenditures and improving overall productivity.

Moreover, when households are free from the financial strain of treating waterborne illnesses, they are better positioned to invest in farming and agricultural activities, resulting in higher yields and more profitable ventures. This has the potential to create a ripple effect, stimulating growth in other sectors like post-harvest management, market access, and overall economic well-being.

However, this ideal scenario requires an enabling environment. This includes the provision of remunerative farm prices, government support through procurement of farm produce, improved storage facilities, quality seeds and farming machinery, and better road infrastructure to connect rural markets. If these factors are also addressed, the positive impacts of safe drinking water will not only contribute to health but also create a fertile ground for rural economic growth.

Administrative and Operational Challenges

The implementation of JJM, though successful in many respects, is not without its operational challenges. Several states face difficulties arising from difficult terrain, depletion of groundwater, and scattered rural populations, all of which complicate the task of extending water connections. Additionally, the delay in releasing matching funds from the central government has been identified as a barrier to the timely execution of the mission.

A significant part of JJM’s implementation relies on local governance structures, particularly the Village Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), which are integral to the planning and management of water supply systems at the grassroots level. The empowerment of these committees and their active involvement in the planning process is critical to ensure the sustainability of village water systems. As of now, about 5.08 lakh Village Action Plans (VAPs) have been formulated, but the actual empowerment of VWSCs at the village level remains a crucial area for improvement.

Ensuring Water Quality and Sustainability

One of the most crucial aspects of JJM’s success is ensuring that the water supplied to rural households is safe and of high quality. This requires regular testing of water samples at both the source and delivery points. The current capacity for water testing needs to be scaled up, and both central and state governments must prioritize the increase of water testing laboratories by earmarking funds in their annual budgets.

Moreover, greater investment in research and development will foster innovation in water quality monitoring and improve the management of water treatment plants. This, in turn, will enhance the reliability of water supplies and reduce the risks associated with water contamination.

The Jal Jeevan Mission has undeniably transformed rural India’s access to potable tap water, but the journey is far from over. The challenges—ranging from water contamination and infrastructure gaps to financial delays and political factors—need to be addressed if India is to meet its goal of providing universal access to safe drinking water.

The establishment of Community Water Purification Plants, the empowerment of local committees, and robust quality control mechanisms are essential to overcoming these challenges.

Furthermore, ensuring that rural economies can benefit from these improvements in water access will require a holistic approach that includes agricultural support, better infrastructure, and financial stability. With sustained effort and collaboration, JJM can continue its transformative work, making clean water a reality for every household in rural India.

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