New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the transformative impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission on women’s empowerment, particularly in rural India, on Thursday, December 12. The initiative, launched in August 2019, aims to provide functional tap water connections to every rural household across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi emphasized how the mission has liberated women from the time-consuming task of fetching water from distant sources.
Impressive Progress in Water Connectivity
Only 17 percent of rural households, equivalent to approximately 3.23 crore families, had access to tap water. This statistic underscores the significant gap in basic water infrastructure and highlights the pressing need for initiatives to improve access to clean and reliable drinking water in rural areas. By October 2024, the mission had expanded its reach to include 11.96 crore additional households, achieving coverage for 15.35 crore households (79.31%), as per government data.
States Leading the Way
Eleven states and Union Territories, including Goa, Haryana, Telangana, Gujarat, and Punjab, have achieved 100% coverage. These regions are setting benchmarks for the rest of the country to follow.
Impact on Women and Rural Economy
A recent State Bank of India (SBI) report underlined the mission's influence on women’s participation in productive activities. Rural households have experienced an 8.3 percentage point decline in the need to fetch water from outside their premises, contributing to a 7.4 percentage point rise in women’s involvement in agriculture and other sectors.
The report also highlighted remarkable progress in states like Bihar and Assam, where the female workforce has grown by over 28 percentage points, showcasing the mission’s broader socio-economic benefits.
A Step Towards Self-Reliance
The Jal Jeevan Mission exemplifies how access to essential resources like water can empower women, strengthen rural economies, and transform communities. It not only addresses a critical infrastructural gap but also fosters gender equity and economic resilience in India’s villages.
What The Jal Jeevan Mission The Jal Jeevan Mission is a groundbreaking initiative designed to revolutionize rural India's access to clean and reliable tap water. Launched with the ambitious goal of ensuring that every rural household in the country has access to safe drinking water by 2024, the mission has already achieved notable milestones. Beyond addressing the immediate need for potable water, the program is set to transform rural health by reducing waterborne diseases, enhance educational opportunities by alleviating the burden of water collection, and uplift socio-economic conditions by fostering healthier and more productive communities. Additionally, the mission emphasizes sustainable water management practices, encouraging long-term resource conservation and community participation to secure a water-sufficient future for generations to come.