Jal Jeevan Mission is not just ensuring the piped supply of clean water to every household but also strengthening local self-governance, and empowering women in rural India. The decentralisation component in this Mission is setting a new trend in implementing government programs.
Access to clean water is essential for the prosperity of a community. Historically, communities and settlements thrived mainly near water bodies. However, since independence, Indian rural households did not have adequate access to water. The present data suggests that India has over 18 per cent of global population but just 4 per cent of renewable water sources. It is a challenge for the country to provide clean water to all. The problem is more aggravating in rural areas where ground water is scarce and surface water is not available. Understanding the problems faced by rural populations in accessing clean water, the Government of India launched Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in 2019. Then a majority of rural households did not have water tap connections.
Out of about 19 crore rural households in the country, only 3.2 cr had water connections. Other families had to get water from a source outside their homes, and majorly, the responsibility to fetch water was on women. There are many cases in which girls stopped going to schools because they were engaged in fetching water at their homes. Women complained that fetching water for family needs did not allow them to engage in any economic activity. Now, the number of households with functional water tap connections has gone up to 9 crore. This is indeed an outstanding achievement for the government. The reasons for the Mission’s success could be many. But the engagement of rural women in Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)/Paani Samitis would be certainly at the top.
Decentralisation of water management
The philosophical premise of the JJM mission is to empower local communities, especially women, and give them a sense of ownership of their village’s water supply and management projects. The privileged access to make plans for the village and manage its operation and maintenance is paving the way for the empowerment of local rural women and ensuring the project’s long-term sustainability. It can further percolate in other areas of rural local governance. It is also mandated that the Gram Sabha will approve the plan only when 80 per cent of community representatives present agree with the plan. After this, it will be sent to the District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) committee. Public Health and Engineering Department will grant the technical approval.
Gradually, every village is constituting Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) or ‘Paani Samitis’. One of the best things about the JJM is that local citizens are empowered to manage water supply in their villages. They also have a say, through village level water committees, how the project is planned, and implemented. The objective is that the local community should have control over quality of the works being done under the Mission. And,
50 per cent of its members are women. The local women are also being trained for testing of water quality using field test kits. The participation of women will ensure better management of water supply in order to lead a better life. These committees are choosing water source, deploying water conservation measures, planning laying of pipelines, etc. and also supervising the quality of works being done in their areas.
The local community, through VWSCs, is empowered to take critical decisions to ensure uninterrupted water supply. The Mission is helping achieve the critical objectives of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, increasing women participation in local governance issues, community participation, and strengthening local governance.
This approach can ensure quality of service delivery, the use of local wisdom in planning, participation of women in decision making process, sustainability of water sources and financial sustainability and longevity of the project.
In this project, some deliverables are expected from the local community to give them a sense of ownership. Apart from making the five-year village plan for implementing the project in their village, the local communities have to contribute 5 to 10 per cent of total cost in cash, kind or labour. Their contribution will vary from villages those are in difficult terrain or have over 50 per cent SC/ST population. The government will also provide a revolving fund amounting to 10 per cent of the total project cost for operation and maintenance or for major breakage. The amount will be deposited in the bank account of the VWSC.
Increasing role of local governments
With the introduction of the 73rd CAA in 1992, Panchayats were given the responsibility to execute works relating to 29 subjects mentioned in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution.Under the Schedule, the subject of drinking water and sanitation was allocated to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). PRIs had the right to collect tax at the appropriate level and use it for certain works. As part of their obligations, the Panchayat had to play a role in recharging of water sources, and in the planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of the village water supply schemes. Though, there were several schemes in the past to streamline rural water supply, none targeted
100 per cent functional water tap connections at household level.
Under this mission, Gram Panchayats will shoulder the responsibility in planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of in-village water supply infrastructure. Through Pani Samitis, rural local bodies can collectively decide on the charges for these connections and the money collected will be used for the operational and maintenance purposes.
There is also a provision to provide water in public institutions such as anganwadis, schools, health centres and gram panchayats. To train local officials, government of India has also identified Key Resource Centres. AIILSG is also one of them. The institute is engaged in providing training to local body and state government officials to enable them to execute the Jal Jeevan Mission efficiently in their areas. AIILSG team has already organised training programs in Laddakh and Karnataka for officials. It is to be noted that Laddakh is a difficult terrain and the difficulty of ensuring water supply in winters is a challenge as water gets frozen in pipes. The training programs are designed in a way to provide them essential know-how to manage water supply during all weather conditions. I am quite sure that the mission will bring prosperity in rural areas of our country.
One of the best things about the JJM is that local citizens are empowered to manage water supply in their villages. They also have a say, through village level water committees, how the project is planned, and implemented. And, fifty per cent of its members are women. The local women are also being trained for testing of water quality using field test kits. The participation of women will ensure better management of water supply in order to lead a better life. These committees are choosing water source, deploying water conservation measures, planning laying of pipelines, etc., also supervising the quality of works being done in their areas