The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, is being implemented since August, 2019, in partnership with States/ UTs including Rajasthan, to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to rural households. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards’ BIS:10500 standards are adopted as benchmark for quality of water being supplied through the piped water supply schemes.

Drinking Water being a State subject, the responsibility of Planning, Approval, Implementation, Operation & Maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, is vested with State/UT Governments. The Government of India support the State/ UTs by providing technical and financial assistance including the State of Rajasthan.

• As reported by States on JJM-IMIS, since the inception of JJM, about 7,746 fluoride affected, and 13,706 Arsenic affected habitations which have been reported to be covered with piped water supply schemes as on date.

• Out of these 7,746 fluoride affected habitations in the country, 4,177 fluoride affected habitations were from the State of Rajasthan.
   
• Out of these 4,177 fluoride affected habitations in Rajasthan, 480 and 92 habitations were from Jalore and Sirohi district respectively which are now reported by the State Government to have been covered through JJM piped water supply schemes.

Further, as on date, there are 250 Fluoride and 314 Arsenic affected rural habitations remaining in the country where the piped water supply schemes compliant to JJM standards are yet to be commissioned. However, all these habitations (250 for Fluoride and 314 for Arsenic) have been provided with safe drinking water through community based water purification plants purely as an interim measure to provide potable water to every household at the rate of 8–10 litre per capita per day (lpcd) for drinking and cooking requirements.

• The State of Rajasthan has reported that its 80 remaining Fluoride affected habitations (out of 250 remaining fluoride affected habitations in the country) have been provided with safe drinking water through CWPPs/ IHPs as well.

• As reported by Rajasthan in JJM-IMIS, as on date, there are no Arsenic affected habitation in the State of Rajasthan. Thus, all habitations in rural area of the country are provided safe drinking water free from Fluoride and Arsenic contamination.

Under JJM, while planning water supply schemes to provide tap water supply to households, priority is given to habitations affected by chemical contaminants including Fluoride and Arsenic.  States/ UTs have been advised to plan and implement piped water supply schemes based on alternative safe water sources for the villages with water quality issues. The Department has developed a web based integrated management information system (JJM-IMIS) to capture and monitor the data of water quality affected habitations, where States/UTs provide status of habitation that have contamination in their drinking water sources.

As per the Operational Guidelines, States/ UTs can utilize up to 2% of their annual allocation of funds under JJM for Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities, inter-alia, which includes setting up and strengthening of water quality testing laboratories, procurement of equipment, instruments, chemicals, glassware, consumables, hiring of skilled manpower, surveillance by community using field test kits (FTKs), awareness generation, educational programmes on water quality, accreditation/recognition of laboratories, etc.

To enable States/ UTs to test water samples for water quality, and for sample collection, reporting, monitoring and surveillance of drinking water sources, an online JJM – Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has been developed. The State–wise details of water quality test reported through WQMIS are available in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at: https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/Main/report

A ‘Citizen Corner’ was also developed on the JJM Dashboard. The corner included display of water quality test results in the public domain to further create awareness and build confidence among people about the quality of water supplies through the PWS in rural areas.

This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI V. SOMANNA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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DHANYA SANAL K

(Lok Sabha US Q5306)

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