Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti
Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
Launch: 2019
Target: Functional tap water to every rural household

Core Vision

To ensure safe, adequate, and regular drinking water through functional household tap connections (FHTCs), using decentralised planning, community participation, and technology-enabled monitoring.

Key Objectives

• Provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to all rural households
• Ensure piped water supply to schools, Anganwadis, health centres, GP buildings
• Promote community ownership via cash/kind/labour contribution (shramdaan)
• Create awareness on safe drinking water, hygiene, and water conservation

What is FHTC?

A household tap connection that provides:

• Adequate quantity of water
• Prescribed quality standards
• Regular and reliable supply

Salient Features

• Decentralised Approach:
  
  • Village Action Plan (VAP) for long-term water security
  • Focus on water sources, supply systems, greywater reuse, O&M
• Community Institutions:
  
  • Paani Samitis / VWSCs manage operation & maintenance
  • Encourages local accountability and sustainability
• Water Quality Monitoring:
  
  • Regular testing at source and delivery points
  • Public access to testing labs at affordable rates
• Funding Mechanism:
  
  • Central funds released only after utilisation + State share
  • Performance-based grants linked to functionality assessment

Transparency & Accountability Mechanisms

• JJM–IMIS & Dashboard: Real-time physical and financial monitoring
• JJM-WQMIS: Water quality tracking system
• IoT Sensors: Real-time water supply measurement
• PFMS: End-to-end financial transparency
• Geo-tagging: All assets mapped
• Aadhaar linkage: Tap connections linked to household head
• Mobile App: Field-level coordination
• Third-Party Inspection (TPI): Quality assurance

Capacity Building & Technical Support

• Key Resource Centres (KRCs):
  Academic institutions, think tanks, training bodies
  
• National WASH Experts (NWE):
  
  • On-ground verification
  • Star-rating of villages
  • Feedback to States on implementation gaps

Priority Areas

• Districts affected by JE & AES
• Regions with arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity, heavy metals
• Focus on reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW)

Financing Support

• 15th Finance Commission:
  • ₹2.36 lakh crore to PRIs (2021–22 to 2025–26)
  • Water supply and sanitation recognised as national priority

Key Initiatives

• Rural WASH Partners Forum (RWPF):
  Innovation, technology adoption, knowledge sharing
  
• Nal Jal Mitra Programme:
  
  • Trains local youth as water system operators
  • Strengthens last-mile maintenance and employment

Progress (Important for Mains Answers)

• Rural tap water coverage:
  17% (2019) → 79.59% (2025)

Significance 

• Improves public health, reduces water-borne diseases
• Reduces women’s drudgery and time poverty
• Strengthens local governance and decentralisation
• Supports SDG-6 (Clean Water & Sanitation)
• Enhances rural human capital and productivity

Challenges 

• Source sustainability and groundwater stress
• Operation & maintenance capacity in villages
• Quality assurance in arsenic/fluoride regions
• Long-term financial viability post-scheme period

Way Forward

• Strengthen source sustainability and recharge
• Institutionalise O&M financing models
• Integrate water conservation + sanitation + behaviour change
• Expand technology-based monitoring with community oversight