Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in partnership with States since August, 2019 to make provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household of the country, by 2024.

At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, 3.23 Crore rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, 6.70 Crore (35%) households, have been provided with tap water connections in last 35 months. Thus, as on 03.08.2022, out of 19.11 Crore rural households in the country, around 9.93 Crore (51.99%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes and the remaining 9.08 Crore rural households are planned to be covered by 2024.

To instill the ‘sense of ownership’ among rural masses, under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), there is a provision of community contribution in the form of cash and/ or kind and/ or labour, to the extent of 5% of the cost of in-village infrastructure in case of North Eastern & Himalayan States, forested/ hilly areas, SC/ ST dominated villages and 10% in rest of the areas. Further, willingness of the community and contribution from at least 80% households of the village is a pre-requisite for taking up water supply scheme and Gram Panchayat and/ or its sub-committee, i.e. Village Water & Sanitation Committee/ Paani Samiti/ User Group, etc. may exempt individual contribution from poor, infirm, divyangjan or widow with no source of steady income. The per family contribution varies from village to village and is arrived at on the basis of the capital cost of in-village infrastructure of the scheme.

In addition, after successful commissioning of the scheme, the community would be rewarded to the tune of 10% of the cost of in-village infrastructure, which would serve as revolving fund to meet any unforeseen expenditure due to major break down, etc. thereby assuring continuous water supply.

Further, under the mission, 30% weightage is assigned for difficult terrains which inter alia include areas under Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) while allocating the fund, to prioritize the coverage in these areas.

 This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AS