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Context: The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has stated that the Jal Jeevan Mission has reached a milestone of 60% coverage.

Present Status

• Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2019 to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.
• According to the Minister, 60% of rural families now have access to safe drinking water through taps. More than 1.55 lakh villages (25% of the total number of villages in India) have reported 'Har Ghar Jal,' which means that every household in these villages has access to safe drinking water through taps on their premises.
• 5 States; Gujarat, Telangana, Goa, Haryana, and Punjab, as well as 3 union territories, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli, and Puducherry, have declared 100% coverage.
• Currently, Tap water is available in 9.03 lakh (88.26%) of schools and 9.36 lakh (83.71%) of Anganwadi centres. 

Steps Taken to Strengthen the Jal Jeevan Mission

• Special efforts have been made, with an emphasis on children's health and well-being, to provide tap water connections in all rural schools, Anganwadi centres, and ashramshalas (tribal residential schools) for drinking, cooking mid-day meals, hand washing, and toilet usage.

Water Testing

• 2,078 water testing labs have been established. 1.03 crore water samples were examined in 2022-23 alone.
• More than 21 lakh women have been trained in rural areas to analyse water samples using Field Test Kits to raise awareness about water quality (FTKs).

'Swachh Jal se Suraksha' programme

• The Mission initiated the 'Swachh Jal se Suraksha' programme, and water quality testing has been recorded in 5.33 lakh villages for chemical contamination and 4.28 lakh villages for biological contamination (post-monsoon) during the year 2022-23.

Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSC)

• Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, over 5.24 lakh Paani Samitis/Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSC) have been created, and over 5.12 lakh Village Action Plans have been prepared to manage, operate, and maintain in-village water supply infrastructure.

Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs)

• States/UTs are assisting Panchayats by employing Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) to enable the formation of VWSCs, community mobilisation, assistance in developing Village Action Plans, and carrying out activities after infrastructure building. Almost 14 thousand ISAs have been hired and are now operating in the field.

Resource Centres

• 99 respected Government and non-Governmental academic institutions/ agencies/ firms/ organizations/ think tanks/ training institutes, etc. have been engaged as Key Resource Centres to create capacity and realign the various stakeholders (KRCs).
• The Jal Jeevan Mission employs Key Resource Centres to enhance the capacity of over 18,000 individuals.

Keywords

Anganwadi Centres

• Anganwadi is a rural childcare facility. The Indian government established these in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services initiative to reduce child hunger and malnutrition.
• Anganwadi Center offers basic healthcare facilities. Contraception counselling and supply, nutrition instruction and supplements, and preschool activities are all examples of basic healthcare activities.
• These centres offer supplementary nutrition, non-formal preschool education, nutrition and health education, immunisation, health check-ups, and referral services, and are linked with public health systems.

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Jal Jeevan Mission: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/jal-jeevan-mission-3

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. In India, the water demand is increasing. The population of India, which was 1.21 billion in 2011, is anticipated to grow to 1.66 billion by 2050. With a coming water crisis, the government must encourage traditional water-saving measures. The Jal Jeevan Mission will make a significant step in making our people's lives easier and fulfilling their dreams of a New India. Discuss.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1913570