Rationale, and Goals

Har Ghar Jal (Tap Water in Every Home) is a transformative social sector goal of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) of the Ministry of Jalshakti of Bharat (India). That Bharat has set up a separate Ministry for water access and management underlines the importance of the water sector to achieving its goal of a Viksit (developed) Bharat by the end of the Amrit Kaal in 2047.

The JJM, launched on August 15, 2019, aims to provide piped safe and adequate water supply to all rural households in the country by 2024. At the time of the launch, only 16.8% of rural households (32 million) had access to tap water. On 15 April 2024 under JJM, 75.98% (almost 146.67 million) of the rural households had access to tap water. This suggests that 114.67 million new connections were provided under the JJM [1]. The coverage ratio does vary from state to state, with 10 states and Union Territories certified as having 100 percent coverage. The lagging states include West Bengal (the least), Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Kerala.

The JJM takes a systematic integrative view, as it is designed to be a transformative social sector initiative. Its main components are -

• Universal coverage: The mission aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to all rural households, ensuring that every household has access to piped water supply for drinking and domestic use.
• Sustainability: The mission focuses on the long-term sustainability of water supply systems by promoting the use of local resources, such as groundwater, surface water, rainwater harvesting, and water conservation measures.
• Convergence and community participation: The mission emphasizes community involvement and encourages the convergence of efforts across various departments and stakeholders to achieve its objectives.
• Water quality monitoring: The mission aims to ensure the supply of potable water by regularly testing the quality of water at the source, in the distribution network, and at the household level.
• Capacity building and information, education, and communication (IEC): The mission aims to enhance the capacity of local communities, including women and marginalized sections, in water management and promote awareness about water conservation and hygiene practices through IEC activities.

The union government provides financial assistance to the states and union territories for planning, design, and implementation of water supply infrastructure. The mission also emphasises the use of technology for monitoring and transparency, and it promotes innovation and research in the water sector. Their Neeyat (intent) and capabilities are critical and perhaps help to explain variations in the progress of JJM across the country.

The policymakers hope that the JJM will not only address the water scarcity and lack of access to safe drinking water in rural areas of India but also help improve the overall health, hygiene, ease of living and quality of life for rural communities while ensuring the sustainable management of water resources. The time saved from securing water from outside the house could be used to generate income within the household or from outside. It is the above features that merit designating the JJM as a transformative social initiative.

In the Union Government budget announced on February 1, 2023, a total of INR 700 billion (USD 8.5 billion) was allocated to the JJM.

Progress of JJM

At the time of the commencement of the JJM in August 2019, there were 162 million households without access to functional tap water supply. But by April, 14,66,70,698 rural households have functional tap water connections, with 46.37 million households remaining. This is a remarkable achievement of the JMM, transforming hundreds of millions of lives.

The progress of the JMM, by states, is provided in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Tap water supply in households (HHs) As of 15 August 2019 and 15 April 2024

Source: JJM Dashboard1

Figure 1 illustrates the provision of functional household tap connections on a state-by-state basis. In addition to supplying these tap connections, the mission's objective is to promote sustainability in water usage by implementing greywater treatment plants to recycle and reuse wastewater. The mission actively engages the user community to foster a sense of responsibility and ownership.

Communities contribute 5 to 10% of the capital investment through various means such as cash, labour, rainwater harvesting, and other suitable methods to ensure the long-term sustainability of the system. The mission also emphasises women empowerment, sustainable financing, water quality monitoring, technological advancements, and innovations, addressing water quality issues in priority villages, implementing institutional reforms, and ensuring water source sustainability through various water conservation approaches.

By April 2023, within a span of approximately four years, over 84 million rural households, encompassing a population of more than 400 million individuals (calculated at an average of 4.95 persons per rural household, according to IMIS), have experienced the positive impact of the programme. This figure surpasses the population of the United States (331 million), nearly doubles the population of Brazil (210 million) and Nigeria (200 million), and exceeds the combined populations of Mexico (128 million) and Japan (126 million by one and a half times)[2].

Currently, every state in the country has achieved a minimum coverage of 30% for the Har Ghar Jal (Water in Every Household) initiative1. The availability of clean water at the doorstep has brought about a significant transformation in the lives of people. One such example is Bundelkhand (of Uttar Pradesh - UP) which is a mountainous region characterized by rocky and stony terrain. UP has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the third state in the country to provide tap connections to over 10 million rural households within a remarkably short period[3].

Figure 2 Percentage of FHTC Coverage by Village Level

Source: Jal Jeevan Mission Reports[4]

* Figure shows data till 14 April 2024.

Figure 2 shows how rural India has been gradually covered under the JJM scheme. There is a decrease in the total number of villages from 604,979 in 2020-21 to 581,454 in 2023-24. This could be due to various factors such as reclassification, merging, urbanisation, or administrative changes. There is a significant increase in the number of villages with 100% FHTC, from 86,980 in 2020-21 to 261,440 in 2023-24. This is a positive development, indicating substantial progress in achieving full FHTC coverage.

The number of villages with at least 90% but less than 100% FHTC has also increased markedly, from 21,512 to 66,371. This suggests that many villages are on the cusp of achieving full FHTC. Villages in the bracket of at least 80% but less than 90% FHTC have nearly doubled, increasing from 18,857 to 36,609. FHTC numbers have increased for the other 4 categories, villages with ≥70 to <80% FHTC, Villages with ≥50 to <70% FHTC, Villages with ≥20 to <50% FHTC and Villages with >0 to <5% FHTC. However, for villages with ≥5 to <20% FHTC, a decrease is seen, from 40,373 to 34,010.

There is a significant decrease in the number of villages with no FHTC at all (for Villages with 0% FHTC), from 294,745 to 47,314. This is perhaps the most significant indicator of progress, showing a reduction in villages without any FHTC.

Overall, the data show considerable improvement in the provision of FHTC across villages. The increase in villages with higher percentages of FHTC suggests effective implementation of water supply programs. Conversely, the number of villages with lower percentages of FHTC has decreased, indicating a reduction in villages with inadequate water supply infrastructure.

JMM Experience of a Beneficiary 1

Source: News18[5]

Jal Jeevan Survekshan

Jal Jeevan Survekshan (JJS) is an assessment framework introduced as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in India. It is aimed at monitoring the implementation and progress of the mission at the grassroots level. The objective of Jal Jeevan Survekshan is to create a culture of data-driven decision-making and ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability in the water supply sector. This is a welcome feature that every government scheme should adopt.

The key features and components of Jal Jeevan Survekshan include:

Source: Jal Jeevan Survekshan[6]

Table 2 showcases another significant data point, which is the progress of districts moving up to higher categories. It provides an overview of the district's advancements over the period of May 2023 to March 2024 (data was considered as of date 15 April 2024). The monthly reporting of progress and the announcement of national rankings serve as sources of encouragement and motivation for districts to accomplish their objectives within the designated timeframes.

Table 2 Districts graduating to a higher category

Source: Jal Jeevan Survekshan6

JJM and Women Empowerment

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) recognises the crucial role of women in water management and emphasises women empowerment as one of its key focus areas. Here are some ways in which the JJM promotes women empowerment-

• Participation and decision-making: The mission encourages the active participation of women in water-related decision-making processes at various levels, such as village-level water and sanitation committees, gram panchayats, and community meetings. Their perspectives and inputs are sought to ensure that water supply schemes are designed and implemented in a manner that meets their specific needs.
• Training and capacity building: The JJM focuses on providing training and capacity-building opportunities to women, enabling them to take on leadership roles in water management. This includes training programs on water conservation, water quality testing, operation and maintenance of water supply systems, and financial management.
• Employment opportunities: The JJM promotes the engagement of women in the water sector, providing them with employment opportunities. This can include roles in water infrastructure construction, maintenance, and operation, as well as in managing water-related enterprises and self-help groups.

Source: Times of India[7]

• Health and hygiene awareness: The JJM recognizes that women are often the primary caregivers and responsible for the health and hygiene practices within households. It includes awareness programs targeting women, educating them about safe water practices, sanitation, and hygiene measures, which have a direct impact on the well-being of their families and communities[8].Social and economic empowerment: Access to reliable and safe water supply has a significant impact on women's social and economic empowerment. It reduces the burden of water collection, freeing up time for women to engage in other productive activities such as education, skill development, and income-generating ventures. It also contributes to better health outcomes, as women are not exposed to the risks associated with fetching water from distant sources. By integrating women's empowerment into the Jal Jeevan Mission, the aim is to address gender disparities in water access and management, enhance women's participation, and promote their overall well-being and empowerment in rural communities.[9][10]. Additionally, the JJM has played a vital role in promoting hygiene and sanitation practices in rural areas. It has had a positive impact on the education of children, especially girls[11].

Concluding Remarks

Historically, challenges posed by water scarcity have been primarily associated with women. However, the JJM recognizes the pivotal role of women in finding solutions. It enables and empowers women to actively engage in addressing their family’s water-related concerns. Under the JJM, women are not only involved in planning the design of water pipelines within their villages, but they also take on responsibilities such as monitoring water quality, managing grey water through kitchen gardening, receiving training as plumbers and technicians, and enhancing their knowledge and skillsets. This comprehensive approach not only contributes to improving their health and hygiene but by providing greater time for income-earning opportunities within and outside the household, also strengthens their overall empowerment. It is only those who have not had the Jal available in their Ghar who can experience the emotions associated with functional tap water in their household.

The Dashboard of the JMM1 provides almost real-time very detailed, disaggregated (reaching district and village level) data on the progress of the JMM. Those who constructively desire to improve the ease of living and quality of life of rural households are urged to use the data from the Dashboard to undertake empirically driven, as well as qualitative research based on focused groups, to further improve this transformative initiative; and create a conductive political economy environment for its sustainability.

References