Jal Jeevan (Rural and Urban) Mission is an important Indian government scheme. In every government exam like SSC CGL, RAILWAY, BANKING, and some other related exams questions were asked about the government schemes. So further we are describing all aspects and dimensions of the Jal Jeevan (Rural and Urban) Mission. This article will help in the upcoming government exams.
- Water is a natural and economic resource, unique and irreplaceable. It is unevenly distributed on our planet, which underlines its competitive and conflictive nature. India offers a fitting example of the impact of the unequal distribution of this scarce resource on a growing population.
- India accounts for 18% of the total world population. But India has only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources to meet basic water requirements for this population, showing the challenge of water distribution and access.
- The Government of India through its Jal Jeevan (Rural and Urban) Mission has recognized the ‘Right to Water’ and aims to provide an equitable distribution of fully functional tap water connections.
- But the mismanagement of water bodies, pollution, and the excessive use of groundwater highlight the main challenges related to water management, as well as the abuse of the ‘right to water and the need for urgent attention towards sustainable water management.
Why is the ‘Right to Water’ necessary?
Right to water as a human right: The United Nations General Assembly has recognized the human right to water and sanitation and has recognized that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the affirmation of human rights.
Under the scope of the right to life: The right to water in India has not been enshrined as a fundamental right in the Constitution. However, courts at the federal and state levels have defined the right to clean and basic water as well as sanitation, which is enshrined in article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Indian Constitution.
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 6 calls for ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, reaffirming the importance of water and sanitation on the global political agenda.
Current status of the Jal Jeevan mission:
Objective:
- Jal Jeevan (Gramin) Mission – Its goal is to provide safe and adequate water through individual household tap connections to every household in rural India by 2024.
- Jal Jeevan (Urban) Mission – This is a companion to the Jal Jeevan (Gramin) Mission and is designed to provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory cities in India.
- It also aims to provide separation/wastewater management coverage in 500 AMRUT cities as another area of focus.
- Demonstration: Goa, Telangana, and Haryana have achieved 100% connectivity in all households.
- Union Territories such as Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu have also provided piped water connections to 100% of their homes.
- Union Ministry of Water Resources Report: According to the survey conducted by the Union Ministry of Water Resources to assess the performance of the government’s ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission:
- Around 62% of rural households in India have a fully functional tap water connection (with a capacity of at least 55 liters of water per person per day) within their premises.
- However, the report also mentions a related problem of chlorine contamination.
- Although 93% of the water samples were reported to be free of bacterial contamination, residual chlorine in most Anganwadi centers and schools exceeded allowable limits and indicated inappropriate local intake.
Major Challenges Related to Water Resources in India:
- Decreasing level of groundwater resource: This valuable resource has diminished due to uncontrolled groundwater extraction induced by rapid urbanization.
- In most of northwestern India, groundwater has now dropped to 100 meters below ground level. If the current extraction rate continues, the groundwater level may drop by 200 to 300 meters in the future.
- As the water in aquifers recedes, scientists warn that land can sink suddenly or gradually in a process known as land subsidence.
- Increased water pollution: A large amount of domestic, industrial, and mining waste is dumped into water bodies, posing a risk of waterborne diseases and eutrophication/eutrophication. These can negatively affect the food web and especially aquatic ecosystems.
- Irregularities in the water system due to climate change: changes in precipitation patterns due to temperature fluctuations, sea level rise,
and evaporation accelerates with increasing temperature, making clouds heavier.
- The trade winds cannot blow through the clouds due to their great weight, which causes more precipitation over the oceans and droughts in dry regions. Floods or flash floods are also generated in many places by the occurrence of excessive rainfall/showers.
- Lack of Efficient Wastewater Management: Inefficient wastewater management coupled with scarce water resources in India is crippling the country’s ability to make optimal economic use of water.
- According to a report released by the Central Pollution Control Board in March 2021, India’s current water treatment capacity is 27.3% and sewage treatment capacity is 18.6%.
- Most of the wastewater treatment plants are not operating at full capacity and are also not meeting the prescribed standards.
Important Suggestions for Saving Water:
- Decentralized Water Use Audit: There is a need for a dedicated water use audit mechanism in India that identifies and eliminates water loss in water distribution systems at the local level due to lack of awareness, overuse excessive, and contamination of water bodies.
- Localized Water Resources Management: The role of the Jal Jeevan Mission should be viewed from a dual perspective, with an emphasis on both supply management and sustainability/sustainability of water resources, as the word ‘Jal Jeevan’ also means water life. The healthy life of humans can only be imagined when it harmonizes with the healthy life of water.
- Therefore, there is a need to implement effective watershed management plans at the city level and rainwater harvesting should be made compulsory in every household.
- Combine women’s empowerment with Jal Jeevan’s mission: As water scarcity disproportionately disadvantages women, ensuring availability and access to tap water allows women living in rural areas to spend time with their children and contribute to the development process. It may be useful to participate. Furthermore, this mission may help reduce the practice of ‘water wives’ that is prevalent in Maharashtra.
- Ensuring 50% women’s participation in the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) is a welcome step in this direction.
- Water Conservation Zone and Jal Dhan Abhiyan: It is necessary to prohibit recharge or further extraction of groundwater resources in the most affected areas to allow time for water recharge. This can be achieved by establishing such water conservation zones in cities where zero exploitation conditions are created.
- An awareness campaign should also be carried out to inform citizens about the efficient use of water, for which a mascot called ‘Neer’ can be used.