"Jal Jeevan Mission Extended to 2028 with Enhanced Outlay Under JJM 2.0"
Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC)
a tap connection that delivers water regularly, in adequate quantity (55 LPCD) and prescribed quality (BIS:10500)
Jal Arpan
community-led public event formalising handover of water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs
Access to safe drinking water is constitutionally grounded in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to include the right to clean water as an intrinsic component of the right to life. Despite this, rural India historically suffered from severe deficits in piped water access — a structural gap rooted in inadequate infrastructure investment, dispersed habitation patterns, and fragmented governance. 'Drinking Water' is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, meaning primary responsibility for planning, implementation, and maintenance of water supply schemes rests with state governments, while the Union provides technical and financial support.
Prior to the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in August 2019, only about 3.23 crore rural households (16.71%) had tap water connections. Earlier national programmes — such as the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) — had made limited headway due to poor last-mile connectivity, inadequate O&M funding, and weak community ownership. JJM represented a paradigm shift: from supply-side infrastructure creation to assured, functional, and sustainable service delivery at the household level, with a target of 55 litres per capita per day (LPCD) of potable water meeting BIS:10500 quality standards.
The Jal Jeevan Mission operates as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with shared funding between the Centre and states. Its core objective is to provide every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) — not merely a physical connection but one that delivers water regularly, in adequate quantity, and of prescribed quality. The mission is implemented through Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), also called Pani Samitis, which are empowered to plan, implement, and manage local water supply schemes.
A critical governance innovation under JJM is the emphasis on community ownership and operations & maintenance (O&M). States are advised to notify comprehensive O&M policies that include: handing over completed schemes to GPs/VWSCs; empowering communities to levy user charges; engaging women Self Help Groups (SHGs) for user charge collection; and ensuring sustainable O&M financing. …
With reference to 'WaterCredit', consider the following statements:
1.It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector.
2.It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
3.It aims to enable the poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
With reference to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), consider the following statements:
1.The mission targets provision of 55 litres per capita per day of potable water meeting BIS:10500 quality standards.
2.'Drinking Water' is a Union subject under the Seventh Schedule, giving the Centre primary implementation responsibility.
3.The Jal Arpan initiative mandates a 15-day trial run by Gram Panchayats/VWSCs before formal handover of water supply schemes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly describes the Comprehensive Implementation and Reform Plan (CIRP) introduced under JJM 2.0?
Assertion (A): Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the responsibility for operation and maintenance of rural water supply schemes lies primarily with the Government of India.
Reason (R): Drinking water is listed as a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
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