Har Ghar Jal | 20 Aug 2022

Why in News?

Recently, Goa and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (D&NH and D&D) became the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified State and UT in the country respectively.

• The people from all the villages have declared their village as Har Ghar Jal through a resolution passed by Gram Sabha, certifying that all households in the villages have access to safe drinking water through taps.
• Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) or paani Samiti has been constituted in all the 378 villages of Goa and 96 villages of D&NH and D&D.
  • It is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and repair of water supply infrastructure developed under ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme.

What is Jal Jeevan Mission?

• About:
  • Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India.
  • Jal Jeevan Mission, is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.
  • The programme will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting.
  • The Jal Jeevan Mission will be based on a community approach to water.
    • The mission will include information, education, and communication as key components.
    • The mission is meant to create a people's movement for water, making it everyone’s priority.
    • Further, the Har Ghar Nal Se Jal programme was announced by Finance Minister in Budget 2019-20.
      • It forms a crucial part of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
      • The programme aims to implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting.
• Mission:
  • To assist, empower and facilitate:
    • States/ UTs in the planning of participatory rural water supply strategy for ensuring potable drinking water security on a long-term basis to every rural household and public institution.
    • States/ UTs for creation of water supply infrastructure, so that every rural household has a Functional Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024 and water in adequate quantity of prescribed quality is made available on regular basis.
    • Gram Panchayats (GPs)/ rural communities to plan, implement, manage, own, operate, and maintain their own in-village water supply systems.
    • States/ UTs to develop robust institutions having a focus on service delivery and financial sustainability of the sector by promoting a utility approach
      • Further enhancing capacity building of the stakeholders and creating awareness in the community on the significance of water for improvement in quality of life.
• Objectives:
  • To provide Functional Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household.
  • To prioritize the provision of FHTCs in quality affected areas, villages in drought-prone and desert areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages, etc.
  • To provide functional tap connection to Schools, Anganwadi centres, GP buildings, Health centres, wellness centres, and community buildings
  • To monitor the functionality of tap connections.
  • To promote and ensure voluntary ownership among the local community by way of contribution in cash, kind and/ or labour, and voluntary labour (shramdaan)
  • To assist in ensuring the sustainability of the water supply system, i.e., water source, water supply infrastructure.

Source: PIB