Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Extended Till 2028

Syllabus: GS2/ Welfare Schemes

In News

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) till 2028, with an outlay of Rs 67,000 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26.
  • However, the scheme saw a massive cut in allocation at the revised estimate (RE) stage during the current fiscal year 2024-25.

About

• The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched in 2019, aimed to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC), ensuring 55 litres per capita per day of safe drinking water to all rural households by 2024. However, due to implementation challenges, the deadline has now been extended to 2028.
• The focus now shifts towards quality infrastructure, sustainable operation, and community-led management under the principle of “Jan Bhagidari” (people’s participation).

Key Features of JJM

• Objectives & Implementation Strategy:
  • Universal Piped Water Access: Ensuring every rural household receives tap water by 2028.
  • Community Involvement: Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) or Pani Samitis play a key role, with 50% mandatory participation from women.
  • State Participation: States/UTs sign agreements to ensure sustainability and service quality.
• Administrative Framework:
  • Nodal Ministry: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
  • Background: JJM subsumed the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
  • Funding Pattern:
    • 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
    • 100% Central Funding for Union Territories.
    • 50:50 for other States.

Current Progress & Budgetary Allocations

• Achievements Since 2019:
  • 80% of rural households now have piped water access, up from 15% in 2019.
  • Over 12 crore families have gained access to drinking water.
  • States with 100% Coverage: Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Telangana, and Mizoram.
  • UTs with 100% Coverage: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu, and Puducherry.

Challenges in Implementation

• Infrastructure & Connectivity Issues:
  • Initial “Low-Hanging Fruit” Approach: Coverage was quickly expanded in regions with existing infrastructure, but expanding to remote villages has proven difficult.
  • Reservoir-to-Village Pipelines: Many villages require water transportation from distant reservoirs, increasing costs and logistical complexity.
• Cost Overruns Due to External Factors:
  • COVID-19 Impact: Disruptions in supply chains and labor availability.
  • Russia-Ukraine War: Equipment and material costs surged, straining budgets.
• Implementation Bottlenecks:
  • Underutilization of Funds: Despite budget allocations, ₹50,000 crore remained unspent in 2024-25, highlighting execution inefficiencies.

Road Ahead

• Strengthening Last-Mile Connectivity: Prioritizing infrastructure expansion in remote areas.
  • Upgrading reservoir pumping systems and ensuring adequate groundwater sources.
• Improving Budget Utilization: Enhancing state-level execution capacity to ensure timely use of allocated funds.
  • Flexible funding mechanisms to accommodate price fluctuations.
• Ensuring Transparency & Accountability: Implementing independent verification mechanisms to validate actual water supply in rural households.
  • Leveraging technology (IoT-based monitoring, GIS mapping) for real-time tracking.
• State & Centre Coordination: Ensuring states fulfill their funding responsibilities to avoid delays.
  • Stronger agreements between the Centre and states for smooth implementation.
• Community Engagement & Women’s Participation: Expanding “Jan Bhagidari” (people’s participation) to ensure local ownership of water management.
  • Increasing women’s leadership roles in Pani Samitis.

Source: TH