JalJeevanSamvad-January-2023-en

About Dataset

Jal Jeevan Samvad – 28th Edition, January 2023 is a publication of the National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) documenting the progress, achievements, field experiences, innovations and key initiatives undertaken under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The issue prominently records the achievement of more than 11 crore rural households receiving tap-water connections. It notes that 123 districts and more than 1.53 lakh villages had reported Har Ghar Jal, while rural household tap-water coverage had increased from about 3.23 crore households in August 2019 to more than 11.12 crore households by January 2023. The publication highlights the wider social benefits of household tap-water supply, particularly its role in reducing the drudgery faced by women and girls, saving time for education and livelihood activities, and improving the well-being of rural families. It also discusses tap-water provision in schools, Anganwadi centres and Ashramshalas, with the stated coverage reaching 8.84 lakh schools and 9.14 lakh Anganwadi centres. A major theme of the issue is community-centric and decentralised implementation of JJM. The Mission is described as a demand-driven, community-managed programme providing adequate quantity, prescribed quality and adequate pressure of water on a regular and long-term basis. The issue records the formation of more than 5.20 lakh Pani Samitis/Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) and highlights the training of more than 18 lakh women in water-quality testing through Field Test Kits. The January edition also connects JJM with India's G20 Presidency and the sustainable development agenda, highlighting India's experience in implementing large-scale social development programmes and the importance of community involvement, inter-governmental collaboration and sustainable development. The issue gives considerable emphasis to water quality and source sustainability. The note from the Additional Secretary & Mission Director stresses water-quality monitoring and surveillance and identifies source sustainability as a critical priority. It also highlights the Swachh Jal Se Suraksha campaign and the Source Sustainability for Drinking Water theme under Jal Shakti Abhiyan 2023, including activities such as geotagging of water-supply sources, source sanitation surveys, borewell protection, recharge structures and monitoring sites. The publication contains State-level examples covering Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim and Rajasthan, along with ground-level implementation updates. These include improved transparency and accountability through the Kerala Water Authority website, 24×7 tap-water supply in Totapalli habitation in Odisha, drinking-water sources associated with divine places in Tamil Nadu, simplified JJM applications in Sikkim, and a regional initiative in Rajasthan focusing on equity and sustainability. The JJM: Action on the Ground section further documents field verification, water-quality testing, source-sustainability assessments and implementation challenges in States such as Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. For example, the issue reports ground-truthing of drinking-water schemes in Jharkhand, assessment of sustainable water sources in water-scarce areas of Uttar Pradesh, and the establishment of a network of 82 NABL-accredited water-testing laboratories in Kerala. The publication also presents JJM progress statistics and comparative FHTC coverage of States/UTs. The progress chart records 11.06 crore households, or 57.12%, with tap-water connections as on 31 January 2023, compared with 3.23 crore (17%) at the launch of the Mission. It also records 123 districts, 1,321 blocks, 73,399 Gram Panchayats and 1,53,296 villages reporting 100% FHTC coverage.