Jal Jeevan Mission: Transforming Rural India with Tap Water Connections
In the past five years, the number of rural households in India with tap water connections has increased fivefold, thanks to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Launched on August 15, 2019, JJM aims to provide tap water to every rural household by 2024. As of October 2024, 15.20 crore rural households have tap water, up from 3.23 crore at the mission’s start. This accounts for 78.62% of all rural households in India.
The mission has significantly improved the quality of life in rural areas by providing reliable access to potable water. This reduces the burden on women and children who previously spent long hours fetching water and improves health outcomes by reducing waterborne diseases. The mission is being implemented with a total budget of Rs 3.60 lakh crore, with Rs 2.08 lakh crore from the central government and Rs 1.52 lakh crore from the states. The government is on track to cover all 19.34 crore rural households by 2024, ensuring safe drinking water for all.
Doubts Revealed
Jal Jeevan Mission -: The Jal Jeevan Mission is a program started by the Indian government in 2019 to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections in rural areas.
Tap Water Connections -: Tap water connections mean having a water supply directly to homes through pipes, so people don’t have to go far to collect water.
Rural India -: Rural India refers to the countryside areas of India where there are villages and small towns, as opposed to big cities.
Waterborne Diseases -: Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by drinking or using contaminated water, which can lead to health problems like diarrhea and cholera.
Rs 3.60 lakh crore -: Rs 3.60 lakh crore is a large amount of money, equal to 3.60 trillion rupees, which is being used to fund the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Central and State Governments -: In India, the central government is the national government, while state governments are regional authorities that manage different states within the country.
