HAR GHAR JAL

19th August, 2022 Polity and Governance

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The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has announced that;
- Goa become India’s first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified State.
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (D&NH and D&D) became India’s first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ UT.
Recently Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh became the first Har Ghar Jal certified district in the country.

Details

‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified State or UT are where Gram sabha has passed a resolution and declared their village as ‘Har Ghar Jal’, authenticating that all households in the villages have access to safe drinking water through taps, and confirming that ‘No One is Left Out’.
Har Ghar Jal scheme has been initiated by the Union Government in 2019 under Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tap water to every rural household by 2024.

Jal Jeevan Mission

The Mission was launched on August 15, 2019.
Implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti
To provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections by 2024 to all rural households and public institutions; Gram Panchayat building, Primary School, Anganwadi centre, Health and wellness centres, etc.

Key Features of the Mission

The Mission ensures community participation and also includes an Awareness, Education and Communication Campaign.
Development of water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connection to every rural household.
Development of drinking water sources to ensure the long-term sustainability of the water supply system.
Other features; Providing training, establishing water quality laboratories, Strict water quality testing and surveillance, Promoting Research work, starting a knowledge centre, a programme for capacity building of communities, etc.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan

Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign.
It was launched in March 2021 with the theme “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”.
It aims to create appropriate rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas of all the districts in the country with people's active participation.
During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India will work together with state and district officials in India’s most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management.
The JSA aims at making water conservation a Jan Andolan through asset creation and extensive communication.

Steps by the Government for water management

The government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including groundwater conditions in the water-stressed blocks in India.
National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by the Department of Water Resources for the conservation of rivers, river bodies and infrastructure in a scientifically planned manner through community participation.
Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted under the “Environment (Protection) Act, 1986” for regulation and control of groundwater development and management in the Country.
Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater 2020 has been prepared in consultation with States/UTs.
Construction of watershed management structure under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana promotes water conservation and management, water harvesting, soil and moisture conservation, groundwater recharge, flood protection, and land development.
Atal Bhujal Yojana for sustainable management of groundwater with community participation is being taken up in the identified over-exploited and water-stressed areas in the States of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Way Forward

The Water Management program focuses on recharging underground aquifers and promoting rainwater harvesting. This improves the availability and quality of groundwater in the long run and provides water security to all.
Adopt Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Operation and Maintenance.
Making Village Water and Sanitation Committee under Gram Panchayat, Involve Community members at all Stages.
Ensure Transparency and Accountability in Governance.
Promote and ensure maintenance services.
Investments in creating the necessary infrastructure, and developing skills.
Empowering Women, as they face more adversities due to lack of easy access to water.
Awareness Campaign on water conservation.
India has one of the largest watershed management programs in the world. We need to enhance this progress by adopting and applying scientific technologies, decision support tools, and knowledge exchanges.
Government and administration should work with local communities to revive traditional water bodies, and design and construct cost-effective groundwater recharge structures; such as check dams, ponds, farm ponds, tanks, recharge wells, etc.

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