Mission mode approach being adopted in the State of Rajasthan for providing tap water supply supply to every rural household of the State under Jal Jeevan Mission, the flagship programme of the Union Government. Government of India is providing all out support to States to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024. For implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, there is no dearth of funds. 
To assist the State of Rajasthan, to achieve ‘Har Ghar Jal’, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat approved Central allocation of Rs 10,180 Crore for Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22, a four-fold increase from Rs 2,522 Crore allocated in 2020-21.

Despite lockdown and disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in the last 27 months, more than 5.44 Crore rural households in the country have been provided tap water connections. As on date, more than 8.67 Crore (45.15%) rural households have tap water supply in their homes.

Out of 1.01 Crore rural households in the State, 11.74 lakh (11.5%) households had tap water supply as of 15th August 2019, when Jal Jeevan Mission was announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. Since launch of the mission, 9.65 lakh households (9.5%) have been provided tap water connections in the State of Rajasthan. Today, 21.39 (21.1%) lakh rural homes in the State are getting tap water supply in their homes. The situation of drinking water supply is changing steadily in Rajasthan. In 2021-22, the State plans to provide tap water connections to about 30 lakh rural households. Regular review is taking place to expedite the implementation of the mission in the State so that the State can catch with other good performing States. All kind of technical assistance is provided by Government of India to the State for a robust plan as well as expeditious implementation of various planned works under the mission.

Rajasthan is the most water deficient State in country with a very short and scanty spell of monsoons. For decades, women and children here have bore the responsibility of fetching water for the whole family, which had comprised their quality of life and education level. Women & children trudging bare foot for aa distance in search of water were the usual sight in the State. Jal Jeevan Mission is doing the herculean task of removing the drudgery of women leading to improve their lives and enhance the ease of living.

As Hon’ble Prime Minister has said ‘no one understands the value of water more than women’, this ambitious mission is aiming to empower women to be the water managers, as their sensitivity towards the subject is key for their best performance. The focus of Jal Jeevan Mission is to initiate a women driven revolution to decentralize the system and empower the community, especially women, to address their water concerns on their own. Under JJM, Gram Panchayats and/ or its sub-committees, i.e. Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Pani Samiti/ User Groups, etc. play the lead role in planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of their in-village water supply schemes. The VWSC comprises 10-12 members, with 50% representation women and proportional representation of the weaker section of the village. Pani Samiti / VWSC takes key decisions about their in-village drinking water supply system. Jal Jeevan Mission is not only providing clean water and good health, but is also playing a huge role in uplifting the status of women in the country including Rajasthan. This will also develop responsible and responsive leadership at the grassroot level.

Following the bottom-up approach, VWSC or Pani Samitis are constituted at the village level to prepare a 5-year Village Action Plan (VAP). So far, every household in 771 villages is getting tap water supply in their homes. VWSCs/ Pani Samitis are constituted in more than 43 thousand villages and VAPs have been prepared for more than 41 thousand villages. This silent revolution under Jal Jeevan Mission is slowly and steadily bringing social and economic a change in the State.

In 2021-22, Central fund of Rs 10,180 Crore has been allocated to the State of Rajasthan to implement the mission in the State. With the opening balance of Rs 864 Crore and matching State share, the total outlay available with State is Rs 21,225 Crore for provision of tap water supply in this financial year. Thus, there is no shortage of fund availability.

In 2021-22, Rs 1,712 Crore has been allocated to Rajasthan as 15th Finance Commission tied grant for water & sanitation to Rural Local Bodies/ PRIs. There is an assured funding of Rs 9,032 Crore for the next five years i.e. up to 2025-26. This huge investment in rural areas of Rajasthan, will accelerate economic activities and boost rural economy. It will create new employment opportunities in villages.

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