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Picture Courtesy:  PIB

Context

As of October 22, 2025, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has provided tap water connections to over 15.72 crore (more than 81%) of rural households. 

What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?

It was launched in 2019 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, to provide every rural household with a functional tap connection delivering 55 litres of safe drinking water per person per day by 2024. 

• The Union Budget 2025-26 extended the mission till 2028.

Objectives and Features

The 'Har Ghar Nal Se Jal' initiative aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to all rural homes, schools, and Anganwadi centers.

Source Sustainability: Achieved through mandatory groundwater recharge, greywater management, and rainwater harvesting.

Community Approach: Promotes a "Jan Andolan" (people's movement) for water, fostering local ownership and participation.

Financial Structure: Estimated cost is Rs. 3.60 Lakh Crore, with the central government contributing Rs. 2.08 Lakh Crore. (Source: PIB)

• Funding patterns are 90:10 for Himalayan/North-Eastern States, 100% for Union Territories, and 50:50 for other states.

Decentralized Implementation: Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSC) or Paani Samitis (sub-committees of Gram Panchayats) are responsible for planning, implementation, and operation/maintenance. 

• These committees must include at least 50% women.

Community Contribution: Communities are required to contribute 5-10% of the capital cost in cash, kind, or labor.

Water Quality Monitoring: Involves robust monitoring, laboratory testing, and training rural women to use Field Testing Kits (FTKs).

Retrofitting & Modernization: Existing piped water supply schemes are upgraded to ensure FHTCs and improve service levels.

Capacity Building: The 'Nal Jal Mitra Programme' and other training initiatives develop skilled personnel for Operations & Maintenance (O&M).

Technological Integration: Uses Geographic Information System (GIS) for water asset mapping and a Digital Registry with unique IDs for Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS) for transparency and data-driven monitoring.

What is the Current Status of the Jal Jeevan Mission?

Household Coverage

The number of rural households with tap water connections has increased from 3.23 crore (16.71%) in August 2019 to over 15.72 crore (more than 81%) by October 22, 2025. (Source: PIB)

Universal Coverage in States/UTs

Eleven States and Union Territories, including Goa, Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, and Telangana, have achieved 100% tap water connectivity. (Source: PIB)

Institutional Coverage

Over 9.23 lakh rural schools and 9.66 lakh Anganwadi centers nationwide now have tap water supply. (Source: PIB) 

Community Engagement

Around 5.32 lakh Paani Samitis have been constituted at the Gram Panchayat level to manage water supply systems. (Source: PIB)

About 24.80 lakh women have received training to use FTKs in 5.07 lakh villages, enhancing community-led water quality monitoring. (Source: PIB)

What are the Key Benefits and Impacts of JJM?

Improve Public Health

Improve public health by providing access to safe drinking water. The WHO estimates it could prevent 400,000 deaths from diarrheal diseases and save 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). 

Women Empowerment and Reduced Drudgery

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates JJM saves over 5.5 crore hours daily, for women, allowing them more time for education, skill development, and income-generating activities. 

Women’s active participation in VWSCs and water quality testing enhances their role in local governance.

Economic Benefits and Employment Generation

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), estimates that JJM's implementation will generate 59.9 lakh person-years of direct and 2.2 crore person-years of indirect employment.

Environmental Sustainability

JJM ensures sustainable water management via rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and greywater management, promoting responsible water use, reducing environmental impact, and promoting ecological balance and climate resilience.

Enhanced Ease of Living and Dignity

Direct access to household water improves the quality of life for rural families by providing dignity, convenience, and reducing the physical burden of water collection, which in turn promotes better hygiene and sanitation.

Challenges faced by the Jal Jeevan Mission

Core Water Source Issues

• Source Depletion and Contamination: Over-extraction for agriculture and industry, erratic rainfall, and natural contaminants (arsenic, fluoride, iron) deplete and threaten water sources.
• Water Quality Degradation: Both natural and human-induced (untreated sewage) contamination necessitate constant monitoring and robust treatment.

Operational and Implementation Hurdles

• Inadequate Operation and Maintenance (O&M): Lack of dedicated budgets, limited local expertise, and inconsistent water flow lead to the failure of schemes.
• Implementation Gaps and Bureaucratic Delays: Delays in clearances, varying state capacities, fund disbursement bottlenecks, and concerns about construction quality hinder project execution.
• "Tap but No Water" Syndrome: Challenge is to ensure consistent, adequate, and quality water supply, not just tap connections, questioning the true "functionality."

Community and Financial Sustainability

• Limited Community Participation and Ownership: Empowering Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) is difficult, and a top-down approach undermines long-term ownership and maintenance.
• Financial Instability: Recovering user fees and securing consistent local funding for O&M is challenging, impacting the longevity of schemes.

Geographical Diversity

• Diverse Terrain Challenges: Varied topography (hilly, forested, drought-prone) creates unique difficulties for infrastructure and water source identification.

Way Forward

Strengthening Operational & Maintenance Frameworks

• Establish clear institutional mechanisms for O&M with defined roles, and ensure adequate funds.
• Provide extensive O&M training to local communities and technicians.

Holistic Water Resource Management:

• Integrate JJM with other water conservation initiatives (e.g., MGNREGA, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain, Atal Bhujal Yojana).
• Develop region-specific solutions like desalination in coastal areas and rainwater harvesting in drought-prone regions.
• Enforce robust policies to prevent groundwater over-exploitation.

Robust Water Quality Assurance

• Strengthen Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQMS) through government testing, community-led Field Test Kit (FTK) usage, and real-time data analysis.
• Explore Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for advanced water testing laboratories.

Empowering Community Participation

• Professionalize Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) into 'rural water utilities' through capacity building, technical assistance, and financial autonomy.
• Engage Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in O&M and revenue collection.

Leveraging Technology for Transparency and Efficiency:

• Fully implement GIS mapping for all water infrastructure.
• Develop a Digital Registry for Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS) with unique IDs.
• Utilize IoT-based sensors for real-time monitoring of water supply quantity and quality.

Addressing Financial Sustainability

• Explore innovative cost-recovery models and ensure equitable user charges.
• Ensure consistent/timely and adequate fund releases from central and state governments.

Adaptive and Decentralized Planning

• Promote decentralized planning at village and district levels.
• Encourage both Single Village Schemes (SVS) and Multi-Village Schemes (MVS).

Inter-sectoral Convergence

• Encourage stronger coordination between relevant government departments (e.g., Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Health) and local bodies.

Conclusion
The Jal Jeevan Mission, vital for water security and rural livelihoods, needs sustained political will, community engagement, technology, and a focus on long-term sustainability to achieve permanent "Har Ghar Jal."

Source: PIB