Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)

In News

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on 2nd February, 2021 said that urban water supply mission announced in the budget would include restoration of water bodies as well as 20% of supply from reused water.

About

There is an approximate gap of 2.68 crore urban household tap connections that needs to be provided through Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban). The mission will also fulfill the gap of 2.64 crore sewer connections in the 500 cities under the current Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

The ministry said, “JJM(U) will promote circular economy of water through development of city water balance plan for each city focusing on recycle/reuse of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation,”.

In five years total amount that would be spend on this mission amounts to 2.87 lakh crores.

This mission is in conformity with the Jal Jeevan Mission that focused on rural areas started in 2019.

Connecting every household by 2024 is the aim of the mission. Only 34 % of rural household have been covered under JJM (Rural).

The mission in rural areas has not succeeded due to drying up of water resources or no maintenance of water facilities. Therefore government is also planning to rejuvenate the groundwater condition especially in those states where the phenomena of drying up was high. Implementation mechanism needs to be strengthened particularly with the involvement of women.

Changes are required on ground and also by modifying wrong designs as well as treating wastewater and untreated faecal sludge.

The current budget has also recognized the need of capacity building and awareness programmes.