Introduction

Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human right and a critical factor in ensuring the well-being and development of communities. Despite significant economic growth and progress in various sectors in India, a large proportion of the rural population faces a daunting challenge in accessing safe drinking water. Historically, rural communities, particularly women, had to endure the burden of fetching water from distant and often contaminated sources, which posed health risks and hindered socio-economic progress. The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure access to drinking water to every rural household by 2024 through tap connections. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), which comes under the Jal Shakti Ministry, is responsible for the programme. At the time of the launch of the scheme, the government said only 3.23 crore (or 17%) of rural households had tap water connections. The mission aims to bridge this gap by providing nearly 16 crore additional households with tap water.

The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to assist, empower, and facilitate States and Union Territories (UTs) in the planning of participatory rural water supply strategies, ensuring long-term potable drinking water security for every rural household and public institution, such as Gram Panchayat buildings, schools, Anganwadi centers, health centers, and wellness centres.

While presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in the Parliament today, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that the total budget outlay for Jal Jeevan Mission has been enhanced to Rs 67,000 Crore. She said that the Mission stands extended until 2028. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman stated that 15 crore households, representing 80 per cent of India’s rural population, have benefitted by the Jal Jeevan Mission since 2019. She added that access to potable tap water connections is provided under this Mission and in the next three years, the target is to achieve 100 percent coverage. Jal Jeevan Mission’s focus will be on the quality of infrastructure and O&M of rural piped water supply schemes through “Jan Bhagidhari”. Separate MoUs will be signed with states/UTs, to ensure sustainability and citizen-centric water service delivery, informed Smt. Sitharaman.

Click Here To Read The Article