Water governance

Jal Jeevan Mission: achievements and emerging challenges

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.