Government Scheme · Active

Jal Jeevan Mission

Aims to provide potable tap water connections to every rural household in India by 2024, replacing dependence on handpumps and open wells.

Launched2019

MinistryMinistry of Jal Shakti

What it does

JJM funds piped water supply infrastructure to connect every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) delivering 55 litres per person per day of potable water. The programme integrates source sustainability (groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting) and community-based operation and maintenance. Village Water Sanitation Committees manage local infrastructure. Urban areas are covered under AMRUT 2.0.

Who it covers

All rural households. Priority is given to habitations in drought-prone areas, fluoride/arsenic-affected areas, and SC/ST majority villages. Schools and anganwadis (childcare centres) are also targeted.

Funding

Centre-State sharing: 90:10 for Himalayan and northeastern states; 50:50 for others. Total outlay is Rs 3.60 lakh crore over 2019–2024, making it one of the largest infrastructure schemes in Indian history.

Scale

At launch, only 16.6% of rural households had tap connections. By mid-2024, the government claimed over 75% coverage — approximately 146 million connections added. Independent assessments found some connections non-functional or intermittent.

Criticism and debate

The 2024 target was not fully met. Functionality of connections is disputed — 'connected' is sometimes counted from infrastructure to the village boundary, not to the household tap. Source sustainability is a concern: the programme requires sustained groundwater levels that are declining in many aquifers. Maintenance capacity of village committees is uneven.

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Content is editorial draft pending verification against official scheme guidelines, ministry press releases, and independent evaluations. Last reviewed: 2026-07-02.