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
