Central government in partnership with States and Union Territories, is actively advancing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, which aims to provide every rural household with access to safe drinking water through functional tap connections. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, V. Somanna, said that the mission is designed to supply 55 litres of water per person per day while maintaining prescribed quality standards.
“The government is committed to ensuring a regular and long-term supply of potable water to rural households across the country,” Somanna said.
When the mission was launched in August 2019, only 3.23 crore rural households had tap water connections, representing 16.8 percent of the total. According to government data, as of March 9, 2025, an additional 12.28 crore rural households have been provided with tap water connections. “Today, more than 15.51 crore rural households, which accounts for 79.91 percent of the total 19.42 crore rural households in the country, have access to tap water at home,” the minister noted.
The impact of the mission has been studied by various national and international institutions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that full coverage under JJM would save over 5.5 crore hours daily, which is currently spent on collecting water. “Ensuring safely managed drinking water could prevent nearly 400,000 deaths due to diarrheal diseases and save approximately 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs),” WHO has stated.
Nobel laureate Professor Michael Kremer, in his research, has highlighted the potential health benefits of universal access to safe water. “If all households have access to safe water, child mortality could decline by nearly 30 percent, leading to the saving of an estimated 1,36,000 lives annually,” his study concluded.
The mission has also contributed to employment generation. A study by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, estimates that JJM will generate 59.9 lakh person-years of direct employment and 2.2 crore person-years of indirect employment during its capital expenditure phase. Additionally, the operation and maintenance of the project are expected to create 13.3 lakh person-years of direct employment.
Ensuring the sustainability of the infrastructure created under JJM remains a priority. The government has implemented third-party inspections to verify the quality of materials and construction before making payments. “To instill a sense of ownership, rural communities and Panchayats are actively involved in village-level planning and decision-making for water supply systems,” Somanna said.
To strengthen community participation, 5.30 lakh Village Water and Sanitation Committees, or Pani Samitis, have been formed within Gram Panchayats. “At least 50 percent of the members in these committees are women, with adequate representation from marginalized communities,” the minister informed. Further, five women from each village are being trained to test water quality using Field Test Kits (FTKs). “So far, 24.81 lakh women have been trained, and over 89.55 lakh water samples have been tested in the 2024-25 period,” he added.
Community involvement extends beyond testing. Over 14,000 NGOs, voluntary organizations, self-help groups, and community-based organizations have been engaged to facilitate planning, implementation, and management of water supply systems. “The mission also integrates other government schemes to strengthen local drinking water sources through convergence with MGNREGS, Finance Commission grants to Rural Local Bodies, the Integrated Watershed Management Programme, State schemes, and corporate social responsibility contributions,” he explained.
Despite these efforts, challenges persist in implementing the mission. “States have reported issues such as unreliable drinking water sources in water-stressed regions, groundwater contamination, difficult terrain, scattered habitations, delays in State fund releases, lack of technical expertise at the village level, and rising raw material costs,” Somanna noted.
To tackle these issues, the government has introduced several measures. “We have provided financial assistance through the Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure scheme and appointed nodal officers to coordinate statutory clearances,” he said. Additionally, State and District Programme Management Units have been set up, and the Nal Jal Mitra Programme has been launched to ensure the availability of skilled personnel at the village level.
The government has also taken steps toward sustainable water management. “In 2023, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain was launched with the theme ‘Source Sustainability for Drinking Water.’ In 2024, the campaign was implemented under the theme ‘Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti,’” the minister added.
