Table of Contents

Analysis Of Kurukshetrara Magagzine
”Women’s Role in Jal Jeevan Mission”

Relevance

”GS 2: Government Policies & Interventions”
”GS 3: Skill Development, Employment”

Context

Since August 2019, the Government of India in partnership with the States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, to make provision of potable tap water supply to every rural household in the country by 2024.

What is Jal Jeevan Mission?

Announced in 2019, Jal Jeevan Mission (JIM) is a huge step in improving the quality of life in villages and improving public health.
JIM is under implementation in partnership with all the States to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country.
It is envisaged that by 2024, each household will have a potable tap-water supply in adequate quantity (55 lpcd) of prescribed quality (BIS: 10,500) on a regular and long-term basis.
To implement this mission, institutional arrangements at various levels have been made.

How does JJM ensure Women Participation?

A key benefit of the JJM is that the rural women, who suffer the drudgery of having to travel long distances to bring water home will be saved from the ordeal.
Following this vision, it has been mandated that a minimum of 50% of the VWSC members would be women.
This accords them a significant role in village water governance suiting their traditional role as water managers.
Alleviating rural women of their drudgery in fetching water and Village Water and Sanitation bringing them ease of living.
While ease of living is envisaged to give rural women an opportunity in self-reliance or atmanirbharta, and leverage their experience as village water managers in VWSCs, women are also given the role of custodian of water quality in their villages.
Under the Mission, each village will have a cadre of 5 trained women formed to monitor the tap water quality provided in homes.
With the active participation of people especially women, and rural communities working together, Jal Jeevan
Mission has become a Jan Andolan.

Bottom-Up Approach

Jal Jeevan Mission is a ‘bottom up’ approach where community plays a vital role from planning to implementation, management, operation and maintenance.
To achieve this, Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ Pani Samiti are being constituted and strengthened; Village Action Plan are developed through community engagement; Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) are engaged to support village communities in programme implementation and create awareness among people.