New Delhi, 10 March (H.S.):

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved today an ambitious restructuring of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) as JJM 2.0, boosting its total outlay to ₹8.69 lakh crore—with central assistance surging to ₹3.59 lakh crore from ₹2.08 lakh crore. This shift pivots from mere infrastructure to sustainable service delivery, targeting tap water for all 19.36 crore rural households by December 2028.

Digital Backbone and Community Empowerment

A national Sujalam Bharat digital framework will assign unique IDs to every village's water system, mapping from source to tap for transparency. Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) will certify Har Ghar Jal status via Jal Arpan handovers, ensuring in-village maintenance. Annual Jal Utsav events will foster community-led upkeep, blending cultural ethos with collective accountability.

Transformative Progress and Impacts

From 17% coverage in 2019 (3.23 crore households), JJM now serves 81.61% (15.80 crore). Studies highlight game-changing effects: SBI notes 9 crore women freed from water-fetching for economic roles; WHO credits 5.5 crore daily hours saved, 400,000 diarrheal deaths averted, and 14 million DALYs preserved; Nobel laureate Michael Kremer projects 30% drop in under-five mortality (1.36 lakh lives yearly); IIM Bangalore/ILO estimate 59.9 lakh direct and 2.2 crore indirect employment years.

Viksit Bharat Vision

Separate MoUs with states/UTs enforce timelines and sustainability under a whole of government approach. Women and girls gain most—less drudgery, better health, dignity, education, and livelihoods—aligning with Viksit Bharat@2047's 24x7 rural water pledge through citizen-centric reforms and inter-departmental convergence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar