Goa Becomes First 'Har Ghar Jal' State

Context: Recently, Goa becomes first to provide tap water connection in rural areas under Jal Jeevan Mission.
Key Points

• The country’s bellwether tourism state of Goa becomes the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ state by providing tap water connection to every rural household under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) ahead of its national dead-line.
• “Goa has earned itself the unique distinction of becoming first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ state in the country as it successfully provides 100 per cent Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) in the rural areas covering 2.30 lakh rural households.”
• The state government of Goa has utilised the immense benefits of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• Goa comprises of two districts, namely North Goa with 1.65 lakh rural households, and South Goa with 98,000 rural households encompassing 191 Gram Panchayats.
• The State is in process of getting 14 water quality testing laboratories NABL accredited in order to strengthen the water testing facilities.
• Having achieved the universal access, the state now plans for sensor-based service delivery monitoring system so as to monitor the functionality of water supply i.e. potable water in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality being provided to every rural household on regular and sustainable basis.

About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• The Government of India has restructured and subsumed the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• JJM aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household i.e. Har Ghar Nal Se Jal (HGNSJ) by 2024.
• Its objective is to supply 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections by 2024.
• Under this mission, the 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.
• Jal Jeevan Mission is based on a community approach and includes extensive Information, Education and Communication as a key component.
• 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.

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

• National Jal Jeevan Mission at the Central level;
• State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) at State level;
• District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) at the district level; and
• Gram Panchayat and/ or its sub-committees i.e. Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Paani Samiti at village Level.