10 Jun 2023 JAL JEEVAN MISSION
This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “Jal Jeevan Mission”. The topic “Jal Jeevan Mission” has relevance in the water management section of the UPSC CSE exam.
Relevance:
For Prelims:
What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?
Objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission?
For Mains:
GS 3: Water management.
Importance of Jal Jeevan Mission?
Challenges in providing Clean Water?
Why in the news?
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has reiterated the commitment to strengthen Jal Jeevan Mission and has underlined the role of access to clean water in public health.
What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a flagship program launched by the Government of India in 2019 with the goal of providing piped water supply to every rural household in the country by 2024. The mission aims to ensure safe and adequate drinking water for all, with a focus on improving the quality of life and reducing water-borne diseases in rural areas. The implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission involves a decentralized approach. Gram Panchayats (village-level local self-governance institutions) play a crucial role in planning, implementing, and managing the water supply infrastructure at the village level. They are responsible for the formation of Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) and the preparation of village-level plans.
Objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission?
- Providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs): The mission aims to provide tap water connections to every rural household.
- Sustainable Water Supply: The mission focuses on ensuring a long-term, sustainable water supply to rural areas.
- Convergence: The program emphasizes convergence with other government schemes to maximize the efficiency and utilization of resources.
- Information, Education, and Communication (IEC): JJM promotes awareness and behavioral change among the rural population through extensive IEC campaigns.
- Capacity Building: It focuses on capacity building at the village level by training and empowering local communities to own, operate, and maintain the water supply systems.
- Water Quality Monitoring: The mission aims to ensure the supply of potable water by adopting appropriate water quality testing methods and monitoring mechanisms.
Importance of Jal Jeevan Mission?
- Access to Safe Drinking Water: One of the primary objectives of the mission is to provide safe and clean drinking water to every rural household in India. Access to clean water is essential for human health, as contaminated water can lead to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid. By ensuring access to safe drinking water, the mission contributes to the overall well-being and improved health of rural communities.
- Reduction of Waterborne Diseases: In rural areas where access to clean water is limited, waterborne diseases are prevalent. By providing piped water connections and promoting proper sanitation and hygiene practices, the mission helps reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases. This, in turn, reduces the burden on the healthcare system and improves the quality of life for rural populations.
- Gender Empowerment: In many rural areas, women and girls bear the responsibility of fetching water for their households. This often involves long and arduous journeys, which not only takes up their time but also puts them at risk of physical harm and limits their access to education and economic opportunities. By providing piped water connections directly to households, the Jal Jeevan Mission reduces the burden on women and enables them to participate in other productive activities, promoting gender empowerment.
- Economic Development: Access to clean water is crucial for agricultural activities, livestock rearing, and various rural industries. By ensuring a sustainable water supply, the mission contributes to agricultural productivity, promotes livelihood opportunities, and stimulates economic development in rural areas. It also helps in addressing water scarcity and promoting efficient water use, leading to improved agricultural practices and increased income for farmers.
- Environmental Conservation: The Jal Jeevan Mission emphasizes source sustainability and water conservation measures, such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. By promoting these practices, the mission contributes to environmental conservation and the preservation of water resources. It also encourages communities to adopt sustainable water management practices, which are crucial for long-term water security.
- Social Inclusion and Equity: The mission focuses on providing water connections to every rural household, irrespective of social or economic status. It aims to bridge the gaps in water access and reduce disparities, ensuring social inclusion and equity in the provision of basic services. This promotes a sense of equality and contributes to social harmony within rural communities.
Challenges in providing Clean Water?
- Water Scarcity: Water scarcity is a significant challenge in many regions, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. Population growth, urbanization, and climate change exacerbate the issue by increasing water demand and putting pressure on limited water resources. Water scarcity affects both rural and urban areas, making it difficult to meet the needs of growing populations.
- Poor Water Quality: Contamination of water sources is a critical challenge, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. Industrial pollution, inadequate sanitation systems, agricultural runoff, and improper waste disposal contribute to water pollution. Addressing poor water quality is essential to ensure access to safe and clean drinking water, as well as to protect ecosystems and public health.
- Infrastructure and Service Delivery: Developing and maintaining water infrastructure, such as pipelines, treatment plants, and distribution networks, poses significant challenges, particularly in remote and rural areas. Inadequate infrastructure leads to water supply interruptions, leakages, and inefficiencies. Ensuring proper service delivery and regular maintenance of infrastructure are essential for sustained access to clean water.
- Financial and Institutional Constraints: Implementing water-related projects and programs requires significant financial resources. Limited funding, especially in low-income countries, hampers the development and maintenance of water infrastructure. Additionally, institutional capacities and coordination among various stakeholders, including government agencies, community organizations, and private entities, can pose challenges to effective water management and service delivery.
- Climate Change Impacts: Climate change exacerbates water-related challenges. Changing rainfall patterns, increased frequency of droughts and floods, and rising temperatures affect water availability and quality. Adapting to these climate change impacts requires innovative strategies for water management, conservation, and resilience building.
- Behavioral Change and Awareness: Promoting behavioral change and creating awareness about the importance of water conservation and hygiene practices are critical challenges. Education and outreach programs are necessary to encourage communities to adopt sustainable water use practices, improve sanitation and hygiene behaviors, and reduce water wastage.
- Equity and Access: Ensuring equitable access to clean water remains a challenge, particularly for marginalized communities, remote areas, and informal settlements. Addressing disparities in access requires targeted interventions, such as prioritizing underserved areas, promoting community participation, and involving marginalized groups in decision-making processes.
- Conflicts over Water Resources: Water scarcity and competition for water resources can lead to conflicts, both at the local and international levels. Disputes over water allocation, transboundary water management, and competing interests among various stakeholders can hinder effective water governance and collaboration.
Source:https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1931175
Yojna daily current affairs eng med 10th June 2023
Q.1 Which of the following objectives is associated with the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) ?
(a) Providing clean water to urban households
(b) Ensuring sustainable water supply to rural areas
(c) Promoting rainwater harvesting in industrial sectors
(d) Improving irrigation facilities in agricultural regions
Answer: (b)
Q.2 Which of the following statements regarding the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is/are correct?
1.The JJM aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to every rural household in India.
2.The mission focuses on source sustainability measures such as groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting.
3.The implementation of the mission is primarily centralized, with the central government overseeing all aspects of planning and execution.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b)
Q.3 Discuss the significance and challenges associated with the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in ensuring universal access to clean water in rural areas of India. Highlight the strategies adopted by the mission to address these challenges and evaluate their effectiveness.
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