In a remarkable effort to address the pressing need for clean drinking water in rural India, the Government of India, in collaboration with States and Union Territories, has been implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal. Launched in August 2019, this ambitious initiative aims to provide every rural household with a functional tap water connection, delivering 55 liters of potable water per person per day, adhering to the quality standards set by BIS:10500.
When the mission began, only 3.23 crore rural households, which accounted for a mere 16.8%, had access to tap water. However, as of March 9, 2025, the mission has made remarkable progress, with over 12.28 crore additional households now enjoying tap water connections. This achievement has brought the total number of households with access to tap water to 15.51 crore, covering nearly 80% of rural households in the country.
The positive impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission has been widely acknowledged by both national and international institutions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the mission’s success in achieving saturation will save over 5.5 crore hours daily that women and children would otherwise spend collecting water. Additionally, WHO estimates that providing safe drinking water to all households could prevent approximately 400,000 deaths caused by diarrheal diseases and save around 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).
Renowned Nobel laureate Prof. Michael Kremer’s research further highlights the mission’s profound impact on child mortality. His findings suggest that universal access to safe water could lead to a 30% reduction in mortality among children under five, potentially saving 1,36,000 young lives each year.
The economic benefits of the mission are also substantial. A report by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), estimates that the implementation of JJM will generate nearly 59.9 lakh person-years of direct employment and 2.2 crore person-years of indirect employment during the capital expenditure phase. Moreover, the operation and maintenance phase is expected to create an additional 13.3 lakh person-years of direct employment.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the infrastructure, the mission places a strong emphasis on community participation. Around 5.30 lakh Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSC) or Pani Samitis have been established across the country, with at least 50% women members and representation from marginalized communities. These committees are responsible for planning, implementing, and managing the village water supply systems. Additionally, five women from each village have been trained to test water quality using Field Test Kits (FTKs), with 24.81 lakh women already trained and over 89.55 lakh water samples tested so far.
Furthermore, over 14,000 NGOs, self-help groups, and community-based organizations are actively engaged in facilitating community involvement at every stage of the mission. To enhance the sustainability of water sources, the mission also promotes the construction of soak pits and the augmentation of local water sources through convergence with other schemes like MGNREGS, 15th Finance Commission grants, and CSR funds.
However, the mission faces several challenges, including water scarcity in drought-prone areas, contamination of groundwater, and delays in obtaining clearances and releasing state funds. To address these issues, the central government has implemented several measures, such as providing financial assistance through a 50-year interest-free loan for capital investment projects, establishing State and District Programme Management Units, and launching the “Nal Jal Mitra Programme” to train local skilled workers for the operation and maintenance of water supply schemes.
The government has also launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative, with themes like “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water” in 2023 and “Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti” in 2024, further strengthening the mission’s focus on water conservation and women’s empowerment.
The Jal Jeevan Mission is not merely about providing tap water; it is transforming rural lives, empowering women, improving health outcomes, and boosting local economies. With the government’s continued commitment and active community participation, the dream of “Har Ghar Jal” is steadily becoming a reality, offering hope and dignity to millions of rural families across the country.
