Drinking water supply schemes of Rs. 6,872.28 Crore were approved for Rajasthan under Jal Jeevan Mission in the State-level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) meeting held on 5th January 2022. These schemes will provide tap water supply to more than 6.56 lakh rural households in 3,213 villages spread over 27 districts. Of these, there are 5 multi village major projects and remaining are single village schemes.
To translate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring clean tap water in every rural household and relieving women and girls from drudgery of fetching water from a distance, the Mission, has released Rs. 2,345.08 Crore Central grant-in-aid to Rajasthan in 2021-22. This year, the Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has allocated Rs. 10,180.50 Crore to the State for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission which is four-fold increase from last year’s allocation. Union Minister, Jal Shakti, assured full assistance to the State for making provision of tap water supply in every rural home by December, 2024.
On 15th August 2019, at the time of launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, only 11.74 lakh (11.57%) rural homes in the State had tap water supply. In last 28 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown disruptions, the State has provided tap water connections to 10.5 lakh (10.3%) households. As on date, out of 1.01 Crore rural household in the State, 22.23 lakh (21.92%) are getting tap water supply in their homes. In 2021-22, the State plans to provide tap water connections to 30 lakh households.
In the meeting NJJM team emphasized the need for speedy implementation, assuring quality of works, effective community contribution and advised the State to include the provision of grey-water management through convergence in the water supply schemes as it’s a very important component of Jal Jeevan Mission.
To ensure safe tap water to children in schools, ashramshalas and anganwadi centres in the country, tap water is to be provided in learning centres for drinking, cooking mid-day meal, hand washing and in toilets. 58,363 schools (67%) and 28,959 anganwadi centres (54%) in Rajasthan have been provided tap water supply in their premises. In the 31st SLSSC meeting, proposals for providing 2,885 schools and 418 anganwadi centres have been approved. The State has been urged to ensure tap water supply in remaining schools and AWCs at the earliest.
Under Jal Jeevan Mission, water quality-affected habitations, Aspirational districts, SC/ ST majority villages, SAGY villages in the State are given priority. Working in line with ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’, Jal Jeevan Mission’s motto is ‘no one is left out’ and it aims at universal access to the potable tap water supply. Water quality monitoring & surveillance activities are given top priority by imparting training to 5 women in each village, for regular and independent testing of drinking water sources and delivery points using Field Test Kits (FTKs). So far, 16,806 women in 3,474 villages have been trained to use FTKs.
At the start of the mission in 2019, out of a total of 19.2 Crore rural households in the country, only 3.23 Crore (17%) had tap water supply. During the last 28 months, despite Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission has been implemented with speed and today, 5.53 Crore rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Presently, 8.77 Crore (45.57%) rural household across the country have tap water supply.
States of Goa, Telangana, Haryana and UTs of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry, D&NH and D&D have ensured 100% household tap connection in rural areas. At present, every household in 87 districts and more than 1.30 lakh villages are receiving tap water supply in their homes.