WATER EVERYWHERE MISSION

General Studies Paper -2

Context: The article discusses the challenges in achieving 100% coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission. It also highlights what needs to be done to ensure it.

Background:

Launched in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to achieve the objective of providing piped water in adequate quantities and of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household in India (55 litre per capita per day of water).

Data shows 73.57% of the rural households have already been covered by this flagship scheme.

What are the Challenges in achieving 100% Coverage?

There are challenges in achieving 100% coverage.
For instance, 3 states — Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and West Bengal — are way below the national average (73%), and even below the halfway mark (50%) of providing functional tap water connections to every household. These challenges include:

1. Geographic Challenges:Rajasthan’s arid and rocky terrain, unlike UP’s plains, is not very conducive to piped water supply. Also, the state has the issue of generally low availability of water.
2. Political Challenges: For instance, change of government in the state in the recent elections has also slowed the implementation in Rajasthan, as per the author.
3. Sustainable Source: Unless the source of water is sustainable (such as through replenishment by groundwater recharge), the supply would become a long-term issue.
4. Lack of Urgency: For instance, West Bengal has plenty of water, which may have taken away the urgency required to implement the scheme. It has also led to the problem of contamination, which requires a much greater focus on treatment and supply.
5. Raw Material Supply (Pipes): The more immediate challenge has been the rising demand for duct iron pipes, which are an important raw material for piped water connections and its timely supply.
6. Reaching the Last Mile: Providing clean drinking water for PVTGs is part of the recently launched PM JANMAN scheme. The launch of this initiative makes it necessary to reach far-flung areas, which will be a challenge.

What should be done?

1. Planning Sustainability of Water Source: This must be done by the panchayat. Villagers do not know how much water there is in the groundwater aquifers. Communities must be empowered in aquifer and groundwater management.
   In this respect, states have put in place an implementation support agency to handhold the communities and train them in operation and maintenance of water connections for the next 3-4 years.
2. Correct Identification of Area:Appropriate area must be selected after field survey to house all three water supply units: The water treatment plan, storage unit, and distribution channel (meaning taps).
3. Maintenance of Infrastructure: The Centre has asked states to come up with a plan and decide on a mix of user charges and government subsidy for the upkeep of the drinking water infrastructure.
4. Records indicate that many states that did not perform well initially have progressed fast in the last two years. For instance, Uttar Pradesh, with only around 20% coverage in 2022, has improved it to above 76%.

According to the author, once everyone has a tap water connection, the way forward would be to ensure the quality is improved alongside the volume of supply.