JalJeevanSamvad-October-2021-en

Jal Jeevan Samvad – October 2021 (Issue XIII) provides an overview of the implementation and progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission towards providing adequate, prescribed-quality and regular tap water supply to every rural household. The issue presents the progressive coverage of Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) as of 31 October 2021 and comparative coverage across States and Union Territories. A key feature of this issue is the Prime Minister’s Samvad with Gram Panchayats, Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) and Pani Samitis held on 2 October 2021. The publication highlights the decentralized, demand-driven and community-managed approach of JJM, with Gram Panchayats and VWSCs playing important roles in planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of village water-supply systems. The issue places particular emphasis on women's empowerment and community participation. It documents how access to household tap water reduces the drudgery of fetching water and creates opportunities for women to participate in productive activities. It also highlights the training of women in water-quality testing using Field Test Kits (FTKs). Another major theme is water-quality monitoring and surveillance. The publication explains that JJM goes beyond infrastructure creation and seeks to ensure long-term public health and drinking-water security. Water-quality testing is emphasized at the source, within the piped distribution system and at the delivery point. The issue also covers digital and technology-based initiatives, including the JJM Mobile App, sensor-based IoT systems, digital governance and water monitoring. The JJM Mobile App is presented as a means of improving transparency, accountability and access to information at the village level. It further discusses capacity building and skill development, including training of Public Health Engineers and village-level personnel in plumbing, pump operation, electrical repairs, water-quality testing, chlorination and operation and maintenance. The publication documents field-level experiences from States and UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Ladakh, showcasing implementation challenges, community participation, technology adoption and progress towards Har Ghar Jal. The Ladakh section, for example, describes the achievement of providing tap-water connections to all households in 12 villages despite difficult high-altitude conditions.