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100 million houses now have tap water: Modi hails landmark
On July 22, HT first reported the Jal Jeevan Mission, a scheme to link every rural household with a functional tap by 2024, will cover 100 million households by August.
The Union government has achieved the milestone of providing piped water connection to 100 million houses in villages under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, adding that at least 70 million houses were provided such connections over the last three years.
On July 22, HT first reported that the Jal Jeevan Mission, a scheme to link every rural household with a functional tap by 2024, will cover 100 million households by August.
“Seven crore (70 million) rural households have been connected with piped water in just three years compared to just three crore (30 million) in seven decades. This is an example of the same human-centered development, which I talked about this time (in the Independence Day speech)...,” Modi said.
“The achievement of the 10 crore (100 million) milestone reflects the Centre’s commitment towards provision of water and preservation of the environment,” he added.
According to Census 2011, fewer than 14% of rural households had access to ‘on premise’ tap drinking water supply. The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to link all of India’s 192 million households with tap water. As on August 19, the Jal Jeevan mission has covered 52% of all rural homes. At the launch of the mission in 2009, only 17% of rural households had tap water access.
In a country where nearly 800 million people live under extreme water stress, the Jal Jeevan Mission carries huge political significance for the Bharatiya Janata Party and PM Modi, whose focus on providing poorer Indians with benefits such as cooking gas, toilets and subsidised housing is said be one of the key reasons for the ruling party’s electoral successes.
“The real test of Jal Jeevan Mission is in its long-term sustainability because the water sources connecting each area should be sufficient to last 30 years as per guidelines, so conservation and replenishment of sources is equally important,” said Narendra Patel, a water expert with Samaj Pragati Sahayog, a water-conservation NGO based in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh.
The Prime Minister was virtually addressing the Har Ghar Jal Utsav event under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Goa when he made the statement. The event was held to celebrate Goa’s certification as a state that connected all rural households with piped water, along with the Union territories of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
“There cannot be a better beginning of the Amrit Kaal (golden age; the run up to India’s 100th year of Independence in 2047),” Modi said, referring to the Centre’s achievement.
“This is a big success of the government’s campaign to deliver water to every household. This is a great example of sabka prayas (everyone’s effort),” he added.
The Prime Minister also said that his government has spent ₹3.60 lakh crore on Jal Jeevan Mission and the pace of the campaign did not slow down despite disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
People’s participation, stakeholder participation, political will, and optimum utilisation of resources were four pillars for the success of the mission, he said.
Locals, village councils, and other institutions of local governance had an unprecedented role in the campaign, Modi said. “Achieving much more in just seven years than what was achieved in the last seven decades indicates political will,” he said.
He also said water security is a big challenge. It can be a huge obstacle in accomplishing the resolution to become a developed country, he said.
Besides, Modi also said that 100,000 villages across states have become ODF (open defecation free) Plus.
ODF Plus refers to villages that meet expanded sanitation goals of community toilets, plastic-waste management and grey-water management among others.
After achieving the milestone of the country being classified fully ODF, the Modi government had set a target of ODF Plus status for villages.
“We have all chosen to work for nation building. That is why we are working on the challenges of the present and the future. Those who do not care about the country are not bothered about spoiling the present or future of the country. Such people can definitely talk big, but can never work with a big vision for water,” Modi said.
