Clean drinking water through taps has brought about a radical change in the lives of the residents of Bundelkhand, but challenges remain

Bundelkhand has been traditionally a drought-prone area with frequent droughts; the people had to work hard, and travel several kilometres in some cases to get clean drinking water. The Bundelkhand region of India grapples with several issues, including heavy reliance on rainfall, inadequate irrigation, and susceptibility to climate change and droughts. This area, encompassing thirteen economically disadvantaged and less-developed districts, heavily depends on agriculture for both employment and economic progress. While agriculture is pivotal for the region's economic advancement, it frequently faces disruptions due to recurring droughts. In this situation, clean drinking water is nothing short of a luxury.

Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right that has long eluded many rural households in India. Recognising this dire need, the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ scheme was launched with a singular goal: to provide clean drinking water to every rural family through taps. In Uttar Pradesh, the ‘Har Ghar Jal Yojana’, a part of the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, has witnessed remarkable success in the Bundelkhand region, fundamentally changing the lives of its residents. The Jal Jeevan Mission has transformed the Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions, which have suffered from water scarcity for decades. It has turned the dream of having pure drinking water in every household into a reality. The mission has saved these regions from major drinking water crises, providing clean water to thousands of villages.

The mission has involved laying pipelines, constructing water tanks, establishing water treatment plants, increasing water sources, and providing tap water connections at an impressive pace. This initiative has prioritized drought-affected areas, villages with water quality issues, aspirational districts, and those affected by diseases like Japanese Encephalitis and Encephalitis Syndrome.

The Jal Jeevan Mission aimed to provide 'domestic tap connections' to 2,62,29,815 families by 2024 in Uttar Pradesh. Under the ‘Har Ghar Jal Yojana’, a daily supply of 55 litres of water per villager was promised. As of September 14, 2023, this mission has already made significant strides, with tap water facilities reaching 1,60,20,616 families and benefiting approximately 9,61,23,696 people.

The Jal Jeevan Mission is not just about providing clean drinking water but also about creating employment opportunities. Training programs have been initiated, with 13 youths being trained under each Gram Panchayat. These efforts have empowered rural youth by providing training in various trades, including plumbing, electrical work, motor mechanics, fitting, masonry, and pump operation. “We wish to ensure people’s participation so that they become aware and stakeholders. After ten years it is the people who would be managing and operating these facilities” says Anurag Srivastava, the principal secretary of Uttar Pradesh.

In addition to employment opportunities, the mission focuses on making rural women self-reliant by training five women from each village in water testing for clean drinking water. These women use field test kits to check the water quality in their villages, assessing 11 different parameters in sources such as taps, wells, hand pumps, and tube wells. So far, more than 4,87,955 women have been trained in water testing, ensuring the quality of water supplied.  The provision of clean drinking water has had a profound impact on public health. It has reduced the prevalence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and malaria. “There has been a marked fall in diseases in our village after the water plant started operating six months back,” says Hasmukh Parihar, Gram Pradhan.

The Bundelkhand region has seen remarkable progress under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana. As of now, 1,280,292 functional household tap connections (FHTCs) have been provided out of a total of 1,419,730 FHTCs in the region. This means that 7,681,752 villagers in Bundelkhand have access to clean drinking water through taps.

The Bundelkhand Piped Drinking Water Project is a significant part of the Jal Jeevan Mission. Work on this project is underway in seven cities: Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, and Mahoba. There are a total of 71 schemes operating under 35 projects in the Bundelkhand region. These projects include intake wells, water treatment plants, clear water reservoirs, and overhead tanks, all aimed at ensuring a steady supply of clean drinking water. Indeed, Har Ghar Jal Yojana is changing lives but there is a long way to go till total coverage is secured. Besides, issues of the quality of water and its perennial supply must be ensured. While the project is providing the drinking water it has yet to seep into the psyche of the people as a lot of it is still wasted and often people do not use it at all for different reasons. Thus creating awareness must be an integral part of the project and be given priority.

(The writer is a social activist, based in Uttar Pradesh; views are personal)