The Jal Jeevan Mission has rapidly expanded tap water infrastructure in rural
India, achieving near-universal coverage of household connections. However,
recent assessments show that actual water supply, reliability, and quality lag
behind coverage figures, with many households not receiving regular or safe
water. Issues such as groundwater depletion, weak operation and
maintenance, and water contamination remain key challenges. The focus now
needs to shift from infrastructure creation to ensuring sustainable, reliable, and
community-managed rural drinking water services.
Groundwater crisis, driven by over-extraction, pollution, and weak governance, threatens food and water security. While Atal Bhujal Yojana and NAQUIM signal a demand-side shift, long-term sustainability needs integrated governance, tech adoption, and rationalised farm-energy subsidies, as urged by the Mihir Shah Committee.
Click to View MoreThe Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) reported that nearly 20% of groundwater samples exceeded permissible pollutant limits, increasing chronic disease risks. Key contaminants include nitrates (over half of districts), fluoride (over 9% of samples), arsenic, and uranium, found in various regions like Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, along with other heavy metals.
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