A team of 4 members from the National Jal Jeevan Mission is visiting West Bengal from 2nd to 4th December, 2020 to provide technical assistance to the State to realize the goal of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ under the flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission as well as identify different issues and challenges and to document good practices. The team is visiting different parts of the State and interacting with field level officials involved with implementation of water supply schemes as well as Gram Pradhans and members of Gram Panchayats. The team is also holding meetings with the Chairperson of District Water& Sanitation Mission/ District Collector to brief them about the progress and seek their intervention for speedy implementation of the programme.
West Bengal State has planned to provide 100% tap connections to all the households in the State by 2023-24. Government of India is working in tandem with the States to achieve the goals of JJM within the time frame. In continuation to the discussions held last month at the mid-year review of planning and implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in the State to provide tap water connections in all households, the team from National Jal Jeevan Mission is visiting the State to see the implementation in the field and extend technical assistance to expedite the implementation with a focus on prudent investment. The team along with PHED officials visited three schemes of Howrah district. The Uttar Pirpur scheme is 100% FHTC with focus on sustainability by creating rainwater harvesting through convergence with 15th Finance commission funds.
FHTC in Khosalpur Scheme FHTC in Uttarpirpur scheme
In Balichak Scheme key parameters of Jal Jeevan Mission were discussed with the Gram Panchayat. The GP is in process of preparing the VAP and the work of providing FHTC is expected to begin soon. In Khosalpur village, the work is ongoing for providing FHTC and the work is expected to be completed during this month.
During 2020-21, fund allocation to West Bengal has increased to Rs. 1,610.76 Crore. With an opening balance of Rs. 1,146.58 Crore, the State has an assured availability of Rs. 2,760.76 Crore of Central share funds. Therefore, during 2020-21, along with State share, about Rs. 5,770 Crore is available under Jal Jeevan Mission to provide household tap connections in West Bengal. Further, additional funds too can be provided based on the progress of implementation in form of performance incentive under JJM. West Bengal has received Rs 4,412 Crore as 15th Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, 50% of which will mandatorily be spent on water and sanitation. There is need for convergence planning to be done by the State under various programmes like MGNREGS, JJM, SBM (G), 15th Finance Commission Grants to PRIs, District Mineral Development Fund, CAMPA, CSR Fund, Local Area Development Fund, etc. at village level and Village Action Plan (VAP) of every village is to be prepared for 5 years co-terminus with the 15th Finance Commission by dovetailing all such funds for carrying out water conservation activities to strengthen water source leading to drinking water security.
In continuation of various initiatives taken up to improve the lives of people of the country, ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ is being implemented by the Union Government in partnership with States to provide every rural household a Functional Household Tap Connection for the supply of potable water in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis. Following the true spirit of cooperative federalism, State Governments are implementing this flagship programme to realize the objectives of the Mission to enhance ‘ease of living’ of people in rural areas as well as reduce the ‘drudgery’ of women, especially girls. This life-changing Mission focuses on the key principles of ‘equity and inclusiveness’, i.e. every family in the village get tap water connection in their households. With a departure from earlier programmes, this mission stresses on service delivery, rather than infrastructure creation.
