Har Ghar Jal Initiative will fall short of its 2024 goal

The Har Ghar Jal programme, which is part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, intends to link all rural families in India to potable water by 2024.
However, according to several sources and data analysis, the effort is likely to fall short of its goal, with only 75% of village households estimated to have drinking water taps by April 2024.

Har Ghar Jal (Water to Every Household) is a scheme launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Its goal was to deliver running water to every rural family by 2024.
The initiative was announced by the Finance Minister in the 2019 Union budget.
Goa and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, as well as Daman and Diu, would become the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified state and UT with 100% tap-water availability in August 2022.
Gujarat, Puducherry, and Telangana have also attained 100% tap-water access as of January 2023.
Since its start, the scheme has considerably increased the supply of clean tap water in Indian households.

Delayed Progress: The COVID-19 epidemic, as well as a lack of competent labour in states, have contributed to the scheme’s delayed implementation.
Shortages of Critical Materials: The current Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused in significant shortages of steel and cement, which are critical for making and connecting metal pipes, causing delays and price increases.
Manpower Shortage: Some states had difficulty obtaining skilled personnel to build acceptable-quality tanks, cisterns, and water connections.
State-Specific Issues: Certain states, like as Rajasthan, experience difficulties in maintaining water availability, while West Bengal and Kerala face water contamination problems.
While states report high coverage figures, there is a significant difference between reported and verified connections.

Officials now expect approximately 75% of households to be covered by March 2024, and 80% by December 2024.
Work has not yet begun: Approximately one crore homes (5% of the total) are yet to begin work under the scheme.
Time constraints: It takes an average of eight months to connect all houses in villages that already have access to water sources, making completion in some places doubtful before 2025-26.

Due to political considerations, certain states, such as Bihar and Telangana, did not rely on central money and did not certify their connection status.
Certification’s Importance: The pictures of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister are prominently displayed in “Har Ghar Jal” villages that have been verified as 100% compliant, especially if Central money were utilised.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jal-jeevan-mission-falling-short-of-2024-target/article67029959.ece