Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Context-Rajasthan has demanded higher central assistance for Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to achieve the targets of the mission.

Jal Jeevan Mission

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.
• JJM focuses on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level.Creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse, would be undertaken in convergence with other government programmes/schemes.
• The Mission is based on a community approach to water and includes extensive Information, Education and Communication as a key component of the mission.
• JJM looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority.
• Funding Pattern: The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories.

The Central government has recently released the operational guidelines for JJM.

For the implementation of JJM, following institutional arrangement has been proposed:

• National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) at the Central level
• State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) at the State level
• District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) at the District level
• Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) at Village level.

Every village will prepare a Village Action Plan (VAP) which will have three components:

• Water source & its maintenance.
• Water supply and.
• Greywater (domestic wastewater) management.

With Respect to Women and the Community:

• Women who have borne the brunt and drudgery of fetching water from long distances will now be able to take a lead in the programme.
• Paani samiti will be a statutory subcommittee of the gram panchayat. The paani samithis will have at least 50% representations by women and can go much more even upto 100%.
• Concept of user fee gives a signal that water is a precious commodity.
• Involvement of the community makes the mission a Jan Andolan.