Why in the News?

The Jal Shakti Ministry has demanded Rs 2.79 lakh crore Central funds to complete the Jal Jeevan Mission Scheme.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Jal Jeevan Mission (Background, Objectives, Progress, Achievements, etc.)
• About Financial Requirement (Breakdown, Implications of Funding Gap, Challenges, etc.)

Introduction

• Launched in August 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is the Government of India’s ambitious initiative to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household.
• Spearheaded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the mission aims to ensure equitable access to safe and adequate drinking water to all rural households by 2024.
• In the years since its launch, JJM has made remarkable strides but now faces funding constraints as it nears its final implementation phase.

Overview of Jal Jeevan Mission

• Vision and Objectives
  • The mission’s core objective is to ensure “Har Ghar Jal”, water to every household, by provisioning safe and adequate drinking water through individual tap connections by 2024.
  • It aims to:
    • Provide 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd) of water
    • Promote sustainable water supply systems
    • Ensure community participation and transparency
    • Integrate source sustainability and greywater management
• Progress and Achievements So Far
  • As of March 31, 2025, ~14.56 crore rural households (about 73%) have been provided with tap water connections under JJM.
  • 13 states and Union Territories, including Goa, Haryana, Gujarat, and Telangana, have achieved 100% coverage.
  • 2.12 lakh villages have been declared “Har Ghar Jal certified” where every household has a functional tap water connection.
  • 6.2 lakh village-level water and sanitation committees have been formed to ensure local involvement and monitoring.

Current Funding Status and Concerns

• Demand for Additional Funds
  • According to media reports, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has sought an additional ₹2.79 lakh crore from the 16th Finance Commission to sustain and complete the Jal Jeevan Mission.
  • However, the Finance Commission’s interim panel has only cleared a support of ₹1.42 lakh crore, roughly half the requested amount.
• Breakdown of Financial Requirement
  • The original outlay for the mission was ₹3.60 lakh crore (Centre and State combined).
  • As of now, the Centre has allocated around ₹1.58 lakh crore and disbursed ₹1.12 lakh crore.
  • The demand for additional funds stems from increased costs due to inflation, coverage expansion, and the need for operation and maintenance systems.
• Implications of Funding Gap
  • The reduced approval of funds could delay coverage in lagging states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan, all of which are still under 60% coverage.
  • It also raises concerns over sustainability, particularly for maintenance and source sustainability projects post-2024.

Role of States and Local Governance

• A defining feature of JJM is its emphasis on community participation.
• Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are responsible for operation, maintenance, and regular monitoring.
• Capacity-building efforts include training over 4 lakh women in water quality testing using field test kits.
• States are also required to prepare village action plans (VAPs) to ensure decentralised planning and execution.

Challenges in Last-Mile Delivery

• Geographical Diversity: Hilly and tribal regions such as those in the Northeast and Chhattisgarh pose logistical challenges.
• Water Source Sustainability: In drought-prone areas, source depletion remains a critical issue.
• Human Resource Gaps: The mission has faced shortfalls in trained manpower at the village and block levels for technical and managerial roles.
• Water Quality Issues: Fluoride, arsenic, and iron contamination continue to affect the potability of water in certain states.

Policy Outlook and Next Steps

• Focus Beyond 2024
  • Even though 2024 was the initial deadline, the government now appears focused on strengthening long-term water supply infrastructure.
  • Key next steps include:
    • Setting up Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance systems.
    • Implementing greywater reuse mechanisms.
    • Transitioning to lifecycle-based budgeting for O&M.
    • Encouraging convergence with MGNREGA and SBM 2.0 for integrated water security.
• Strategic Recommendations
  • Increase central allocations through alternate routes such as multilateral aid or CSR partnerships.
  • Prioritise lagging states with targeted assistance.
  • Improve convergence with health and nutrition schemes to reinforce the water-health link.